A Leaf in The Shadows
by Nyachu-chan
Summary: Tired of being laughed and mocked at, Leafpool decides that helping the sickly Littlecloud of ShadowClan train his apprentice is the perfect escape from her unforgiving Clan. But after a false accusation, she's treated like a prisoner within the Clan she desperately tries to aid. Will Leafpool ever find a place to call home?
1. Part I

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Warriors Ferncloud wouldn't have had so many kits.

**A/N: **I don't own the idea, either, that right goes to Russell-Scottie. Thanks for letting me adopt this story from you and for beta-reading this. :)

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_"We all make mistakes. Some have echoes that last forever."_

_-Littlecloud in Fading Echoes, page 213_

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Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the trees overhead, amber eyes blinking through the haze that clouded her mind from her recent doze in the warriors' den. She glanced around, amber eyes shifting hesitantly, her mottled brown tabby fur standing out against the bright blue of the lake, the patrol weaving around the curve of the ThunderClan territory. Her brown coat soaked up the rays, which would be few to spare with the oncoming leaf-bare season.

**"Leafpool!"**

Perking her ears, she glanced over towards the voice, humming in greeting as the golden-brown tabby tom approached her. Dipping her head, she offered a small ghost of a smile that seemed to have been plastered on her face for the past few moons. **"Jayfeather sent me to escort you back to camp. Something about Briarlight."** Blinking her warm amber eyes she nodded, before starting to trek towards the camp. **"Hey! I was supposed to _escort _you!"**

**"...Oh, I'm very sure you'd want to escort _me,_ Thornclaw," **Leafpool called over her shoulder, her tone very sour and bitter, rivaling that of Yellowfang's and severely startling the older warrior. **"****I can walk there by myself, thank you."**

Trotting carefully, she glanced up a few times, warily, as if expecting something to just fall from the sky. Sighing, she trotted on; dragging her small white paws up through the frost-ridden leaves that clung to the ground is a wet bundle. She shook her head, scolding herself, _You shouldn't have said those things to Thornclaw. He still tolerates you._ She blinked and frowned somberly, the rather-negative voice in her head whispering back, _Unlike the rest of your Clan._

Brushing it aside, she continued to march on, the mud staining her paws brown, a rather dirty color compared to her soft and gentle fawn-colored coat. Her amber eyes, an uneven mix between a brown and a yellow, looking browner but still in fact amber, flickered around the territory. She drank in the scent of the forest, her paws tingling with anticipation. A small smile pulled the corner of her lips upwards, her long white whiskers twitching gently, her pale pink nose wiggling ever so slightly, her ears flicking forward and backward. She didn't know why she suddenly got all jittery, perhaps because Jayfeather had requested to see her. Yes, that was most likely it. Her kits, her wondrous kits, had dislocated themselves from her, and it came as a great joy to know that her own son had wanted to see her, even if it was for something like helping Briarlight, because that still meant he acknowledged her.

She _meowed _happily to herself, her tail flagging out behind her as she trotted on her way. The gentle sound of splashing caught her attention and she turned to glance over, the strong scent of ShadowClan reaching her nose. Her nose wrinkled a little as she shook her head, her ears flattening against her skull, the gentle whisper of fur against fur being muffled, her sharp eyes glancing around, before narrowing her eyes finally. The familiar scent of ThunderClan wafting through her nostrils confirmed that she was still in ThunderClan territory, which meant that she wasn't too far from ShadowClan territory then. _We _were_ near the Halfbridge,_ she mused to herself, _I haven't traveled too far anyways. So ShadowClan cats are bound to be near here and-_

**"Leafpool?"**

She mentally stumbled over her musings, her train of thought lost, and she glanced over uncertainly, momentarily forgetting the name of the tom who spoke to her. She blinked into the darkness, the scent of ShadowClan invading her nose, causing her to sneeze involuntarily. She shivered, blinking through the confusion that the voice had caused her. **Crowfeather..?** Her inner monologue involuntarily murmurered, before she chuckled. _Crowfeather isn't in ShadowClan._

**"Do you have a chill, Leafpool? Feverfew can cool down your bodily temperature, but I'm sure you already know that, but I don't think it grows in your territory.. Lavender could help too."**

Suddenly, she understood, and she shook her head, smiling, **"No, Littlecloud."** She chuckled, **"I'm fine. You.. just surprised me... that's all."** She smiled tensely, barely making out the form of the other brown tabby tom. The light blue eyes glittered in the darkness, small brown paws shuffling forward as the ShadowClan tom moved forward, smiling gently in reassurance as he seated himself on his side of the border, his fur and skin clinging to his frame, making him look dreadfully skinny, but then again he had always been a very small tom anyways. She blinked before dipping her head in a late greeting, **"Looking for a herb, I presume?"**

**"Yes."**

The silence that greeted them was a comfortable one, and she smiled at him, the thought of having to go to camp left her mind momentarily. She wrapped her tail around her petite paws, which were small, even compared to Littlecloud's own, her thicker but shorter tail flicking gently at the tip. **"Are you going to the Gathering, Littlecloud?"**

His blue eyes widened in surprise momentarily, before he nodded, his brown nose wiggling ever so slightly as Leafpool stared intently at his face, realizing a bit too late at her error. **"Yes, I will, all medicine cats are required to go, including their apprentices."** What is he... realization hit. _He has an apprentice?_ He coughed, then nodded, as if reading Leafpool's mind, before breaking down into a mini-coughing fit, a pair of amber eyes watching him curiously. **"Kinkfur's kit, Mistkit, or I suppose, Mist_paw_, is my apprentice. She became an apprentice this moon,"** he managed to muster. He glanced down at his paws, suddenly somber and withdrawn, as they both recalled Flametail, the former medicine cat apprentice who unfortunately drowned a few moons back. **"I took another apprentice because I'll need one soon."** The silence between them stretched and suddenly grew uncomfortable, the former medicine cat tensing as if bracing for a storm. But all that Littlecloud spoke was, **"I know she'll make an excellent medicine cat."** He broke into a coughing fit and Leafpool glanced meaningfully at him but he brushed it off, **"****I'm fine, just a small cough. Don't look at me like that, Leafpool." **She continued to stare at him and he sighed, **"Alright, alright. I promise to make sure the cough doesn't progress."** He chuckled lightly, **"Satisfied?"**

She smiled coyly and nodded curtly. **"Yes. But I'd prefer if you ate some catmint as well, to help prevent the whitecough."** He tensed briefly, and Leafpool noticed this and opened her mouth to add something else when he relaxed and nodded. ..Perhaps it wasn't whitecough he had caught? She blinked warily at him, her amber eyes flickering briefly over his frame. Everything seemed fine... Maybe he just only had a cough, but she knew, as an ex-medicine cat that the cough could quickly grow into whitecough and then the deadly greencough, which has already claimed the lives of many before them. Suddenly she blanched and leapt to her petite paws, **"I must be off, Littlecloud. Jayfeather has need of me."**

**"Of course, I mustn't keep you long, I was only intending to inquire if it really was you. It was nice seeing you again,"** Littlecloud meowed with amusement as Leafpool nodded, then flicked the tip of her tail in a form of goodbye and bolted away, her speed rivaling that of a WindClan cat's, her steps quick and hurried and quite sloppy as she almost stumbled, then caught herself and continued on her way. Her brown and white paws moved with a slight blur, and she passed by Thornclaw again, who merely muttered after her to hurry up despite _her_ being the one running past _him_, and to stop messing around, or something like that. Her paws suddenly slowed, and the ache filled her chest, a sort of hollowness and she suddenly took on a grim expression, her amber eyes blinking, a haunted look filling the depths, making them look more brown then ever and less amber than they actually were.

She had been brimmed with fear at the sound of Littlecloud's voice, before she had realized who it was, the foreign swampy-pine scent of ShadowClan had drifted over her, and for once she had felt accepted. Littlecloud had been a sort of father-figure to her for the longest time, a sort of substitute for Firestar when he was fussing over StarClan-knows-what. They were the best of friends after Cinderpelt died, all those many moons ago, but of course she knew that Cinderheart was really the reincarnated form of Cinderpelt, but it just wasn't the same. There was Mothwing still, but they weren't on good terms, if Leafpool recalled correctly, although she couldn't recall why. Maybe they had always been distant, in a way, ever since Leafpool became a warrior. But Littlecloud... he had always accepted her, even when he found out that she had kits and that she had stepped down from her position as medicine cat. He accepted her more than her own Clan ever did, even when she had once tried explaining that it was for the good of her Clan, which she had chosen over her heart. She could have run away with Crowfeather, but she didn't, no, she had decided her Clan was worth it. This was the thanks she gets?

She shook her head in disbelief, the ache consuming her, almost causing her to stumble when she tried walking again. She huffed in slight annoyance, the ache becoming a filtering pain that flitted throughout her entire body. She blinked, her eyes narrowing a bit as she endured it. Guilt bit at her like rabid dogs tearing her apart, and she wondered briefly if this was how it felt when Brightheart was mauled by them. Then rejection set in after the guilt and she realized that no matter how hard she could cry, ThunderClan would never completely accept her, never forgive her for her lies and treachery.

She sighed, shaking her head grimly. _Perhaps the upcoming Gathering can change all that.. Hm, I wonder if Littlecloud can make it.._ She would probably request to go, even if it was just to see her best medicine cat friend again. She chuckled at the thought. What an odd pair they must be, an ex-medicine cat who mothered the Three -of course she knew about the Prophecy, since the Great Battle being over- and a frail medicine cat who mentored an apprentice who drowned. She frowned, thinking that over, shaking her head lightly, it just didn't sound right anyways. Hm.. She nearly choked on her saliva, doing a double-take. Littlecloud _had_ looked frail, how could they be certain he would make it to the Gathering the next night? He had been coughing up a storm! How had she brushed it off? Would he even be able to manage an apprentice by himself, Leafpool wondered. _Perhaps I can be of assistance... _She thought brightly. The brown tabby's pace quickened to what it was before, the ache in her chest throbbing to the rhythm of her paws. She had to tend to Jayfeather and Briarloght first, before she proposed her plan. And, oh StarClan, was it a brilliant plan, even by her standards.


	2. Part II

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Warriors, BloodClan would have long since ruled the forest.

**A/N: **Story idea belongs to Russell Scottie.

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"_It was my fault alone. You are wrong to blame Squirrelflight. She was just being loyal to me. And now that we know about the prophecy, surely the only thing that matters is that these kits were accepted by their Clan? It's not about us, after all. It's about them. Their destiny shaped ours, right from the moment they were born."_

—Leafpool, _The Last Hope_, page 201

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She could feel the glares as she shuffled around the camp, deep emotion smoldering in those gazes as they bore into her pelt. _Please, stop _staring _at me, _she thought, barely sparing a glance over her shoulder. _It's unnerving. _She cringed away from their smoldering looks, embarassment fluttering through her like butterfly wings. She shuffled her paws uncertainly.

**"Move it, _Liar_pool," **a snarky voice caused her to flinch away as if bitten, eyes widening and ears flattening. She shuffled back quickly, tripping a bit over her own paws, stumbling a bit, her tail snaking to the side of her body, wrapping around her in a defensive pose as she crouched uncertainly away. Her amber eyes settled briefly on the familiar lithe black tom, his brown fur more prominent against his black fur until it faded away. His amber eyes were dark as he watched Leafpool, before she registered that he had just called her Liarpool, but then she bit down the oncoming bitter retort. She still wasn't used to it, but at least only a few cats were insane enough to call her that.

He raised his head proudly, as if seeing the defeated look in her eyes, and trotted off, shoving her aside purposefully. She watched him strutting away, going to go join a patrol. She sighed softly to herself, shaking her head slowly. She did quite fancy the tom before, not like she had fancied Crowfeather before -her heart wrenched with longing at the thought of his name- but rather like a sort of substitute. In fact, she had actually relied on Spiderleg, if she recalled it right, and was near down right tempted to push the border of friendship. In fact, she had dropped numerous hints and had actually confessed to Squirrelflight of having an attraction to him, to which her sister had looked at her in a doubtful expression, shaking her head slowly. The desire for company was what it was, but with time that attraction had died away, and now all that was left was a sort of resentment towards him of what could have been.

_Rejection._

It was such a strong word, but that's what happened. She was rejected. End of sentence. Nothing else to it. Her ginger sister was being more accepted into the Clan now, expecting Bramblestar's kits and all, and this time, her own instead of having Leafpool give birth to them. For such a long time, they both had thought that Squirrelflight was infertile, but during the time of her sauntering back and forth between Ashfur and Bramblestar -then Brambleclaw-, she was impregnanted by Ashfur but had a miscarriage only a moon or two in. Leafpool began to slowly shake her head, her ears flickering briefly. Squirrelflight had been devastated, despite not exactly loving Ashfur, she had planned on keeping the kits and raising them with him. The miscarriage had dashed their hopes of her being able to conceive. Squirrelflight had simply been delighted at the thought of mothering kits, despite them being her sister's. _She had been a good mother too. _Leafpool thought, smiling softly to herself. _And she still will be, if StarClan allows it. _She glanced up, as if suddenly they would decide to make Squirrelflight have another miscarriage because of Leafpool's faults.

**"It's my fault," **she meowed out simply, shaking her head again, defeat flickering in her eyes. **"It's all my fault and I can't do anything to help myself. Can't feel sorry for myself, either, no, because I deserve it. I deserve their ignorance. I'm not good enough as a warrior, I'm better as a medicine cat..."**

**"Then why don't you come back already?"**

The cold voice had penetrated through Leafpool's monologue of self-pity and startled her terribly. She jumped a few inches, shame setting her face aflame, the fur along her spine prickling with surprise, her eyes widening by fractions. Unsheathing her claws she dug them into the ground, arching her back a bit as she whipped around, preparing to badger the cat while her heartbeat was still pumping too quickly. But then all the words that she was going to say was gone in a single breath as she looked somberly at her blind son. **"J..ayfeather...?" **she meowed uncertainly, as if she hadn't seen him in such a long time and that time had weaved it's way between them.

**"Of course it's me," **he snorted at her, rolling his brilliant blue eyes, his thin tail waving slightly as the grey tabby looked back at her. _Great StarClan, it's like he's looking _into _me! _her mind screeched, as his vacant eyes looked at her. **"Who else did you think it was?"** She stared back at him, knowing full well that he didn't expect an answer. It was like he had peeled away her fur and was staring down at her body. She squirmed a bit in annoyance. **"You're useless as a warrior," **he barked at her, eyes narrowing. He glared at her through her half-lidded eyes, muttering incoherent curses, it sounded a bit like. **"You _can't _hunt, you're pathetic at fighting, why do you even bother?"**

**"..Jayfeather, don't bother pointing out my flaws, please," **she meowed finally, blinking solemnly. She wrapped her tail around her paws, the tip of it tickling one of her toes. Suddenly taking an interest in her paws, she stared down at them, her amber gaze suddenly noticing each individual tuft of fur. **"Besides, I might not be here long enough.. I might actually... I don't know... join ShadowClan?"**

Surprise filtered through them, a heavy silence making the awkwardness feeling quite heavy between them. **"You... what? Have you talked to Littlecloud about this?" **Jayfeather demanded before recoiling a bit, his breathing hard and narrowing his sightless eyes, the anger bright in them. **"No, better yet... have you spoken to Bramblestar?"**

Leafpool blinked slowly at her son, her jaws parting slightly so that if it happened, a fly could have went by and landed straight in her mouth. Suddenly disgusted with that thought, she clamped her mouth shut and raised her head defiantly. **"Should I even bother with asking how you managed to know of that? Or should I assume that it was because of your power to walk in another's dreams? Or entering my mind or reading my emotions?" **She stopped right there, knowing his answer and smiling a bit triumphantly at his scowl before realizing just exactly what she did and gasped inwardly at her reaction and began to scold herself like she would have scolded Jayfeather -when he messed up their herb stock- long before back when she was a medicine cat and he was her apprentice. **"Nevermind, it's my decision. I have no place here, even if I become a medicine cat of my Clan again, they would still think those thoughts, would they not? They would still judge me, and silently hate me. They might even force me to end my own life, like Hollyleaf threatened before."**

Jayfeather blinked at her, looking deeply troubled before sighing, **"I come from a line of two very stubborn kin. Augh, whatever. Do what you want. But I won't be pleased. If you do decide to join them, know that I'll tell Lionblaze to hunt you down if you dare cross our border." **He raised his head and stared at her, his gaze strong and defiant.

**"Don't worry, my son. I'll only be joining temporarily," **she meowed, trying to comfort his silent displeasure as he began to grumble again. What worried her however was that her own son would threaten her with the aid of Lionblaze. If she dare fought her golden tabby son, she would probably not resurface alive if he wanted her dead. He was invincible, as it were.

**"Really? The way you said it made it... whatever. Well, you better. Return, I mean,"** he snorted at her, narrowing his eyes even more before tossing his head a bit to the side to march steps were quick as he padded away, his tailtip curling distastefully before uncurling, lashing out in his anger. His ears were pinned against his head as he continued to saunter away angrily. Leafpool watched her son notice -how, she didn't know- the other tabby and quickly made his way over to the golden tom, who had just entered camp with his cinder-pelted mate, the white and silver tabby known as Ivypool, the familiar tom and family-friend Graystripe, and the newly appointed leader Bramblestar.

She could already imagine that from here she could hear him muttering to Lionblaze, _"She's already decided, like I've told you! Would you listen to my reasoning? No! You were too smitten with Cinderheart to pay attention that our own kin has been thinking such things. Well, look at this now, because I sure can't. You have no reason to not kill her if she crosses our borders during her time as a ShadowClan cat. Don't underestimate her, they might teach her ways to defeat us, she's no longer our kin." _Or something along those lines. She turned her head to the side, shame burning in her eyes.

Ivypool and Graystripe sauntered over to the fresh-kill pile, the senior warrior taking less time then the younger tabby apprentice did, quickly choosing a squirrel for himself. **"Hey, Leafpool, which do you think that I should pick?" **the young and smooth voice unphased with age caused Leafpool to glance up at the younger warrior, forcing a grin as the tabby looked at her earnestly. **"..A vole or a sparrow?"**

Leafpool blinked slowly before smiling a bit, glad that at least someone didn't mind her presence. **"I think that you should rather pick a squirrel, if you can find one. They're quite plump around this time, having filled their bellies with nuts." **She chuckled a bit at Ivypool's dumbfounded expression before explaining, **"They hibernate, you know, around this time. More often than not though, they store their nuts and eat during our leafbare, or they eat all the nuts they stored and dissolve the fat during the leafbare."**

Ivypool blinked, her blue gaze confused ever so slightly as she shoved the speckled brown bird and the grey stout vole into the pile before plucking aside some prey before truimphantly plucking out a thick squirrel, **"I didn't quite fancy you for stalking the habits of squirrels, Leafpool." **The pale silver and white tabby glanced up at the older brown tabby she-cat, smiling ever so slightly.

**"Oh, not me, Squirrelflight is the one with that habit, but she fancies the taste of a water shrew better," **Leafpool chuckled at Ivypool's sudden look of understanding before they both glanced over towards the nursery. **"You know, I've grown worried about her. She had a miscarriage before, and it doesn't seem unlikely now.. Hm. If I didn't know that Foxleap had been looking for you, Ivypool, I'd very much ask you if you could deliver one for her." **Ivypool's ears flicked forward at the mention of Foxleap's name, causing Leafpool to chuckle and glance knowingly at Ivypool, **"Don't tell Squirrelflight I mentioned any of that though, she'll be very much distressed about it." **Ivypool shot her a half-hearted glare, before laughing a bit herself. **"Honestly though, Ivypool, I'm frankly very surprised that you two haven't declared your love for each other."**

**"It's not love," **Ivypool protested, her ears burning a bit as she glanced around nervously, then squeaked a bit in surprise as she noticed the older tom strut out of the Warriors' den, his fluffy reddish-brown fur swaying a bit in the wind, his pelt looking glossy in the lazy afternoon sun. Ivypool sighed softly, staring with a loving expression on her face as the tom began to converse with Brightheart and Mousewhisker. **"It's just... a mutual attraction," **she sighed, shaking her head, **"You know we're like related, right?"**

**"That didn't stop Ferncloud and Dustpelt,****" **Leafpool countered before biting back her tongue as they both winced, recalling the gentle grey-flecked queen. **"Ivypool, you should go already. It's okay to fall in love."**

**"Was that what you were thinking when you ran away with Crowfeather?" **Ivypool's voice was soft as she looked nervously up at the other -pool named she-cat, the silver tabby smiling sadly at the longing and pain-littered face of the older tabby. **"Just between you and me," **the younger tabby meowed, leaning closer, a smile stretching slowly across her face, **"That was a very brave thing you did, you know, returning to the Clans. I would have done the same."**

Ivypool drew back and nodded curtly as slow understanding dawned on Leafpool's face. **"..Your very knowledgable for your age," **Leafpool commented softly, blinking in the falling afternoon sun.

**"Despite the relationship between you and Crowfeather not working out, I bet it was just as sweet as the relationship between Bramblestar and Squirrelflight," **Ivypool meowed, blinking her blue eyes softly before getting to her paws. **"But you know, I don't plan on growing old in the nursery like a grumpy elder like Mousefur. Maybe you have been right. Perhaps I deserve this love... you know, despite being traitor to my Clans for a while. Because I _want _that bittersweet relationship, I _want _to grow old with somebody and have kits." **Ivypool sighed longingly before smiling brightly, **"If everyday feels like falling in love with him, then I.. then I want more of this love. Thank you, Leafpool, for everything." **She began to bound away, then remembered her squirrel, returned for it, then began to make her way to Foxleap.

**"Oh, how I envy you, Ivypool, for the love that you two share," **the brown and white tabby sighed softly, before padding over to the fresh-kill pile and casting aside any pieces of prey before plucking out a shrew. **"Hm, it's not a water shrew but... ...I suppose I'm not the one eating it, anyways.****" **Scooping it up in her paw, she began to make her way across the clearing, stepping over the paws and tails of Brightheart's new litter of kits, Amberkit, Dewkit, and Snowkit, muttering apologies along the way. Poking her head into the warm and confined den, she called out softly, **"Squirrelflight?"**

**"Over here, Leafpool," **Squirrelflight's smooth yet loud voice startled Leafpool to almost dropping the shrew. Careful as to not tromple over the long-furred creamy-brown queen known, she made her way over to her ginger and single white-pawed sister. **"You know I like _water _shrews, right?" **her sister meowed, giggling softly, as to not awake the snoring Daisy off in the corner. **"It doesn't matter, I suppose. All that matters is you're here.. You haven't been here the last two days, ever since wandering by yourself on that patrol a while ago. Come on, you know I don't like waiting and problems. So come on, spit out your problem already! I can tell you have a problem on your mind, you wouldn't have not visited me."**

**"Littlecloud is ill, dreadfully ill," **Leafpool meowed, finally, after contemplating if she should have answered her sister or not. **"He'll need tending to."**

**"What of it? Cats get sick all the time," **Squirrelflight countered, hissing out a silent complaint as she rolled onto her side, lifting up her paws and spreading her hind legs until her plump belly settled gently, then settling her tail carefully across her legs. **"I'm sure he'll be fine."**

**"He... has an apprentice, he might be too sick to mentor her," **Leafpool meowed finally, hoping that her sister dearest could figure what the ex-medicine cat was trying to state, because suddenly she dreadfully feared how her sister would react. **"Someone must tend to him, and mentor her." **Adding hastily, she meowed, **"I can't exactly ask Mothwing to do it either, she's much too old for it.. It has to be me."**

A slow realization was dawning in her younger sister's face as the ginger she-cat looked up in alarm, trying to get up onto her paws quickly but falling back down with a groan, her back not exactly able to support her own weight. **"You mean that you..!" **Groaning in slight pain, the light-framed glossy ginger-furred she-cat fell back, confusion and anger filling her gaze as well as understanding.

**"Yes, I..." **her voice failing her, Leafpool silenced herself, drinking in the air heavily, casually throwing the shrew forward to her sister's side, neither of them bothering to cast a glance towards it, and the former medicine cat was mostly certain that neither of them was hungry now.

**"You want to join ShadowClan?" **The question filled the nursery, despite the constant drone of Daisy's snoring. Glancing up, the kin glanced over towards the entrance, confusion filling their gaze as they noticed the ThunderClan leader begin to pad in, his amber eyes glancing briefly at the shrew. There was a whisper of a breeze as his paws skidded lightly over the abandoned bedding. The broad-shouldered brown tabby smiled sadly as he glanced at the former-medicine cat, pity, guilt, understanding and respect filled his gaze, the very last of which Leafpool was seldom looked at with. _Lionblaze or Jayfeather must have told him, _she thought to herself sadly. The silence that filled the air between them was like fallen snowfall.

_My decision could affect the whole of two Clans, _she realized, blinking slowly. _If I choose wrong, he may die or live, the fate of their medicine cats rest in my paws. Mothwing might actually decide to help them but... she may not. Would they even accept me into their Clan? To mentor their apprentice? That's all this'll be. My job. Yes, I've decided._

Parting her jaws slightly, she smiled to herself, to which of Squirrelflight gasped at. **"Yes," **she meowed. She dipped her head slowly at Bramblestar, raising her head and a sad smile splayed across her face. **"I do."**

_May StarClan let this be the right choice..._


	3. Part III

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Warriors, Spiderleg wouldn't have ended up with Daisy in the first place.

**A/N: **I don't own the plot, that delight goes to Russell Scottie. Silvershadow1142 also adopted the same story. Seriously, go check it out, it's awesome! :)

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"_Wherever you are, Cinderpelt, if you can hear me, I promise that I will never leave our Clan again. I am their medicine cat now, and I will follow in your pawsteps until it's my turn to walk with StarClan. But please, if I ever meant anything to you, come to me when you can and tell me you forgive me._

—Leafpool, _Sunset_, page 60

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**"You aren't serious," **Squirrelflight's voice rang clear through the den, dismay evident, her forepaws clenching into the moss bedding like it was a lifeline. Staring up in horror at her elder sister, Squirrelflight's emerald eyes glistening as denial filtered through them like a fierce green flame. **"Tell me your lying. Tell me!"** Then, gasping loudly, she fell back as she struggled to her paws. **"Please.. tell me you aren't serious!****"**

**"I think she's quite serious," **the brown tabby meowed, looking intently at his mate before sighing, gently prodding the ginger she-cat in the shoulder, gradually applying some weight to finally push her down. **"Squirrelflight, please, calm down. You will upset the kits, I'm sure." **The broad-shouldered tom glanced over at Leafpool skeptically, as if daring her to suddenly call out that it was all just a joke. When their eyes connecting, he blinked and dipped his head in understanding, knowing full well that she wouldn't be swayed from her decision. **"Just rest, Squirrelflight."**

**"You.. you _will _be here when the kits will be born, right? Right, Leafpool?"**Squirrelflight's voice was insistent and forced as she called on her elder sister, her eyes pleading as she dug into the moss bedding again, kneading it to shreds as she intently looked into her tabby sister's face.

**"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world," **Leafpool meowed, leaning forward to lick her younger sister between her ears, half-closing her bright amber eyes ever so slightly, pressing her paws gently onto the moss bedding, murmering gently against her sister's ear, **"If things go as planned, I'll be back in two moons. Don't worry, everything will be fine." **Withdrawing her head sharply, a soft smile splayed across her face as she grimaced ever so slightly at Squirrelflight's pleading look. **"Two moons, Squirrelflight, you should be fine until then," **she promised, raising her brown white paw and swooping it in quick, jerky movements across her chest, her eyes glistening. **"You were there for me, I'll be there for you, by StarClan I will."**

Blinking at Leafpool closely, Bramblestar smiled ever so slightly again and flicked his tail, **"We should discuss this outside, Leafpool. If you're still firm in your decision... well, then simply you can go to the Gathering tonight and leave with them, if Blackstar and Littlecloud permit it." **Hearing a groan of protest from the ginger she-cat they both glanced over at her, thin and light stripes racing across her haunches, barely noticeable unless you were looking for it. With each ragged breath, the striped flanks rose. It was the only place on Squirrelfight that bore tabby stripes, barely visible or not. **"Squirrelflight, I want you to eat the shrew that Leafpool gave you. Everything will be fine, don't worry." **Leaning forward, he pressed his muzzle comfortingly against her ear, the movement causing her to move into the touch. _If only I had a relationship like that, _Leafpool thought, sighing longingly. Withdrawing slowly, his eyes burning with passion and regret, Bramblestar then turned to the former medicine cat and flicked his ear, staring hard and long at her as he shouldered past her towards the entrance. **"Follow me, Leafpool."**

Following at a brisk pace, the slender, lithe she-cat followed the ThunderClan leader, barely daring to breath as she shuffled along. She could feel prying and judging eyes as the ThunderClanners watched her follow the leader. **"-far enough." **Leafpool looked over at him in alarm, blinking in the falling sun's light as it threatened to blind her momentarily. The powerful shouldered tom shot an amused glance at her, knowing that he had caught her off guard, when she wasn't paying attention. **"I said this should be far enough," **he commented, his voice gruff as he chuckled ever so slightly. They both knew it was forced, from the strain in his chuckles. **"Ignore their gazes, Leafpool, don't let them bother you. They should hold no power over you, you know. They didn't stop you from..." **_Running away with Crowfeather. _She blinked at him, her gaze turning a bit cold and harsh. He didn't need to finish the sentence, and she was half-glad that he didn't. He coughed awkwardly before continuing, **"But.. they're also part of the reason of why you choose to go, aren't they?"**

**"Yes," **she meowed, with no hesitation. Her bluntness seemed to startle him and he quickly regained his composure, muttering something about needing her for the Clan. **"Littlecloud is ill, as you must have overheard. I fear he might no live much longer without my assistance. I have no place here. I wish to go and help him, Bramblestar." **She raised her head defiantly, her eyes glinting ever so slightly. She pushed her ears forward and dug her pads into the ground, steadying her stance, as if preparing for battle. **"The fate of their medicine cats rest in _my _paws."**

**"So let some other medicine cat do it," **his tone was sharp and humourless as he stared at her coldly, shaking his head ever so slightly.

**"So you imply that I _am _a medicine cat," **she meowed, softly. Victory was clear in her eyes as she sat down on her haunches, facing him like a brave warrior, defiance filling her eyes again. His posture slumped horribly as defeat rested on his shoulders, but defiance still lingered. **"As a medicine cat, we look out for each other. We are the balance between the Clans, Bramblestar, surely you understand that. We're like the peace during the Gatherings. We can freely go into another's territory if we _have _to. Bramblestar, I've never asked for anything from you before, but with this I plead. So _p__lease, _let me save them before it's too late!"**

He stared at her, as if weighing the pros and cons of letting her go, hesitation still in his gaze, but as well as slight defiance. _I have to save them, _she thought gravely, _It's my job. _**"I know I'm not a medicine cat anymore, but I _was_. I feel like it's my responsibility to help them - like you want to help Squirrelflight with passing the dangers of miscarriage again." **It was a low blow, even for her, but she saw it was nessesary and as defeat filled caused him to lower his head, she sighed in relief. It was a threat she offered, she mused. It was hardly fair referring to her kin as if she was a bargaining chip but the fate of ShadowClan and possibly the rest of the Clans rested on her now.

**"Fine," **he meowed, solemnly, glaring at her through narrowed eyes. His pride wounded, he began to pass her, and uttered sofly, **"You better come back, Leafpool. You ran away once, you're running away again by doing this. You can't keep running forever." **Shivering, she stared at him, as if deciding if that was a threat or not. Dipping her head, she acknowledged him, her breathing ragged, feeling a weight settle on her shoulders and a deep guilt. **"If ShadowClan dares not return you after the training of the apprentice, or until Littlecloud heals again... I swear by StarClan... we _will _take you back - by force." **She stared after him, not willing to believe what she just heard. _It's nothing to worry about, he's only worried about me, _Leafpool mused, trying to calm her beating heart as she followed him as he leaped onto the Highledge.

**"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey meet beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting," **his voice rang out loud and clear, startling most dozing cats nearby. They glanced over before bounding over. **"At this meeting I will declare who will be going to the gathering." **His gaze traveled over the cats as they continued to gather, no hesitation in his voice, even if it wavered slightly.

**"Thank you, Leafpool, for encouraging me," **the voice startled the former medicine cat as she glanced over, the familiar pelt of the silver and white tabby she-cat greeting her eyes. Smiling softly, Leafpool dipped her head in greeting. **"Foxleap and I... are mates now." **After a brief murmer of 'congratulations' from Leafpool, Dovewing's littermate glanced up at Bramblestar guility, who seemed to be giving both of them the stink eye. **"I'll tell you more about it after," **Ivypool promised, her voice not louder than a whisper. **"I better get back, though, before Bramblestar claws off my ears for interupting." **With a flick of her tail and a small grin, the young warrior bounded away, with Leafpool looking after her. She watched until the young warrior greeted the familiar reddish-brown tabby tom, who wrapped his tail around Ivypool and pressed his muzzle comfortingly against her ear, and looking like he murmured something. _They look so good together, _Leafpool chirped to herself.

**"To this gathering, I will be taking Cloudtail, Berrynose, Hazeltail, Jayfeather, Icecloud, Leafpool, Lilypaw, Toadstep, and Molepaw." **He was quick and smooth of his declaration that most cats were left confused unless they had been paying very close attention. **"We will leave at sundown, I will not announce this again, you _will _be left behind if you don't leave with the rest of us." **His idle threat was whispered among the cats as some cast wary glances towards Leafpool's direction, as they hadn't expected her to go. Flicking her ear slightly, she met their gazes coldly before looking up at the sun and determining how much time they had. Roughly fifteen to thirty minutes, she mused. _I can wait that long, I suppose, _she thought, glancing around, then sighing. _It's best to talk with the other cats, though. I probably won't be seeing them for about two moons. _**"On a border patrol I want Whitewing, Cinderheart and..." **As the cats not invited to the gathering crowded near him to hear who would go on a few hunting and border patrols.

**"Leafpool!" **she turned her head, her eyes curious as she glanced ahead, noticing Ivypool sauntering her way over, a grin on her face, a spring in her step. **"I promised I'd tell you after, and so I decided to tell you now, you know, before you head to the gathering." **Blinking warmly at the former medicine cat, she continued, **"I've always believed that she-cats should take the first paw forward, you know? I didn't even quite realize my feelings for him, though, until about four moons ago, you know, back when the battle happened. Well, he almost died, you know. You helped him return back to normal, you remember that? You told me he'd be all right then, too. But ever since, I've just... sort of grown attached, you know? So, yeah, today, back when I talked to you, I finally gathered up my courage, thinking that _'it's now or never, if you don't get your tail moving, some other she-cat would probably snatch him up' _so... we just sort of got talking, you know? Well, I then asked if he liked anybody, he said 'no', alright? I said, 'Really? That's too bad, because I sort of like this tom who looks like you.' And you know, things just sort of happened and then I found myself asking him and he said yes!"**

**"...You are one very talkative and cheerful cat lately," **Leafpool meowed, bemused as she watched Ivypool's face scrunch up a bit. **"Did you eat too much catmint?" **As a look of guilt passed over the young warrior's face, Leafpool burst out laughing, to which the younger tabby warrior hesitantly added her own laughter to. **"Just our little secret, okay? Won't tell a soul." **A brief look of relief passed her face as Ivypool nodded eagerly. Glancing around nervously, Leafpool forced a smile before glancing up at the sun again, muttering a brief, **"Not to be rude, Ivypool, I bet your story is very interesting but.. I have places to be, cats to see." **Confusion flitted through Ivypool's dark blue eyes as she nodded, hesitantly.

With quick bounds, Leafpool dashed away, glancing around nervously as she stared longingly at every cat, her chest clenching. _I'm doing this for the best of ShadowClan, _she thought, blinking in the fading sun's light. _..So StarClan, why does this feel like I'm betraying my Clan? _Suddenly, the realization of being away for so long seemed to press against her, and the thought of pushing the training of the medicine cat apprentice reigned in her mind. Despite their negative attitude towards her, she felt longing flitter in her heart, like she wouldn't be seeing this place in such a long time. She felt like she had so many things to do, so many things to see, right here in ThunderClan.

She felt old and weary now, as she glanced around, looking at the young life bounce around. But the thought of changing one cat's life bursted through and she smiled jaggedly. To know that she could change the life of one of the younger cats suddenly seemed much more lifefulfilling than ditching her Clan, and she knew it would be worth it, like seeing her kits grow into a pair of fine warriors and an excellent medicine cat was worth giving them up.

**"ThunderClan, it's time to move out!"**

With a last glance behind her, she pushed the thoughts of never seeing her home again away and focused on a brighter future, not just for her, but for all of ShadowClan. If only she knew how much she would affect both Clans..


	4. Part IV

**Disclaimer:** still don't own Warriors. If I did... then Swiftpaw would have survived the dog attack with Brightheart and became her mate.

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"_Hollyleaf, I have lost my kits, the one cat I loved, and my calling as a medicine cat. Which do you think would be easier for me, to die, or to go on living?"_

—Leafpool when Hollyleaf tries to feed her deathberries _Sunrise_, page 310

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Snow began to gently wave it's way down, spiraling and spiraling, landing gently onto the ground and on the pelts of the wandering cats. The sky was a deep violet, etching into pitch darkness save for the few glittering stars that lined it's sky. Clouds dotted everywhere, white smudges on deep purple, small tints of blue, and black. Frost glinted on the overhang of the trees, slush splashing up onto their paws and soaking them to the bone.

The familiar voice of Lilypaw rose up through the slight breeze, **"How about we _not _go to this gathering? I mean, well.. it's really cold!"**

**"I'm freezing my whiskers off," **the cream-and-brown tom apprentice meowed, agreeing whole-heartedly with the dark tortoiseshell she-cat. The amber-eyed tom continued to make protests, yowling about how his paws were going to freeze off.

**"Hey, Molepaw," **came a grumbling meow as the cream-and-brown tom glanced over to look up at Firestar's white-furred nephew expectantly.

**"Yeah, Cloudtail?"**

**"Shut up."**

The large broad-shouldered cream tom glanced over at the older white warrior, shooting a warning glance as his cropped tail flicked slightly in annoyance. However, he didn't chide Cloudtail for scolding his son, even when Molepaw cast him a 'seriously?' look. Leafpool snickered slightly at the brief exchange, earning herself some worried glances from the white-furred she-cat who stared at her with round blue eyes. **"They're amusing, that's all," **the former medicine cat informed Icecloud who hesitantly glanced over at them before smiling nervously, nodding in agreement, even giggling herself as they padded side-by-side, their flanks brushing every so often.

**"..Do you think the lake will have frozen over already?" **Icecloud and Leafpool glanced over at the heavy black-and-white tom, his yellow-green eyes serious as he glanced behind at them, obviously having directed the question at them. Icecloud looked seriously at her nephew before shaking her head, murmering something that sounded like an 'I don't know'. **"Nevermind, it's probably too early for that..."**

Leafpool cast a glance at Toadstep then at Icecloud, as if determining if they had a fight or something. Tension was radiating off of them in heavy waves. _Could they have been mates too..? _**"Leadpool!" **snapping out of her thoughts, she glanced up and over at her grey tabby son who was looking as her as if actually _seeing_ her. **"Why are you planning on going through with this? You have no place there!"** His snappy tone caused her to flinch momentarily, her tail fluffing up slightly as she dug her toes into the snow for leverage, feeling like he could simply blow her over with his anger.

**"I don't have a place here, either, Jayfeather," **she meowed calmly, staring at him with wide, amber eyes, blinking slightly as frost glittered on her whiskers, her white paws looking even more white with the snow that clumped on it, a whisper of fur on fur sounding as her ears flattened on her head, narrowing her eyes a bit at him. **"I serve no purpose, I'm just an extra mouth to feed. I'm useless, I've been rejected, I've lost my calling as a medicine cat. You deny me this as well?"**

He shot a glare at her, his eyes holding a fierce fire as he muttered something incoherent that sounded strangely like 'imbecile' before lashing out his sleek, thin striped tail in anger. Unsheathing his claws momentarily in his fit of anger, he bounded ahead, ignoring her cries of protests, shouting over his shoulder, **"Make sure you don't regret your choice!"**

She stopped in her tracks, staring over at him as he slowed to a soft walk and began to talk with Bramblestar, glancing back at her as if he could actually see her, every so often. The brown tabby tom leaped onto the bridge, calling the ThunderClan warriors and apprentices, as Jayfeather was already by his side. Walking, they crossed the threshold, their movements quick and sure as they bounded across, some WindClan warriors shoving past them as they moved. The bark felt rough and steady as she crossed, her footing unsure as she gently landed with a soft 'oof!' on the other side before waggling her tail slightly as she marched forward. Opening her jaws, she scented the air, practically drinking the smells as she noticed the prairie-scented WindClanners among the piney forest scent of the ShadowClanners, mingling with the mossy smell of her own Clan. The familiar scent of the fishy Clan wasn't found yet, so she assumed that they would be arriving shortly. _Hopefully enough time for me to speak with Littlecloud, _she thought as she looked around for the medicine cat, her ears pricked and her amber eyes focused.

**"Watch where you're going!"**

Startled, Leafpool glanced around, noticing a young apprentice, probably appointed as one a few moons ago. The apprentice stared at her with cold pale blue eyes, looking the former medicine cat up and down, as if deciding if she was worthy of being spoken to. The apprentice was pale grey in appearance, darker blue-black dapples lining her fur as she sniffed in annoyance, her fur sticking up in spikes. **"You bumped into me," **the apprentice meowed, narrowing her eyes slightly as she stared at the ThunderClanner. Sighing, the she-cat rolled her eyes, humming in annoyance again, staring coldly at her with her icy blue eyes. **"Why do you keep looking at me like that? It's annoying!"**

Leafpool took a whiff of the air and noticed the pine smell that wafted off of the apprentice before smiling a bit forcefully. _What a temper she has... _the former medicine cat thought sourly. **"I'm looking for Littlecloud," **the brown tabby meowed, keeping her tone light as her eyes flashed, as if daring the apprentice to challenge her. **"I must speak with him about... pressing matters." **The apprentice looked her up and down before sniffing loudly and pinning her ears briefly against her head, mouthing words that looked like 'what you're going to say to him, you can say to me' before seeming to think better of it and huffed in annoyance, glaring at the medicine cat. Finally, the apprentice beckoned her with her tail and began to bound away, not waiting for Leafpool to catch up as she smoothed her way around cats, hissing out insults as she shoved past cats.

They reached the two toms who glanced up at Leafpool and the apprentice in surprise, before the small brown tabby tom's face broke into a weak grin. The white-splotched mottled grey-brown medicine cat of WindClan, who Leafpool briefly recalled was Kestrelflight, dipped his head in acknowledgement. Mothwing and Willowshine had been conversing with fellow Clan cats, and hadn't felt inclined to join the other medicine cats. Leafpool offered a grin as the apprentice began to settle herself beside Littlecloud, glancing glares at the former medicine cat. **"The ThunderClanner said that she wanted to speak with you, Littlecloud," **the apprentice meowed, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly in a smirk as she glanced back at her Clan's medicine cat.

**"I see," **Littlecloud meowed, before coughing loudly, causing some nearby cats to glance over in worry. **"Thank you, Mistpaw. You can go... see Dewpaw and Sparrowpaw, if you'd like." **Leafpool blinked in alarm at the apprentice who grinned from ear to ear and began to bound away towards another grey she-cat and brown tom, who looked roughly the same age as her. _Mistpaw...? _That's _Littlecloud's apprentice? _Leafpool thought in surprise. She glanced over at the apprentice, her snout wrinkling slightly as she watched the apprentice disappear from view as the swarm of cats moved. **"What is it that you wish to talk to me about, Leafpool?"**

**"...You... you're sick," **she started lamely, glancing over at Kestralflight with wide eyes before glancing back at Littlecloud and forcing a smile, the shock of that rude apprentice being Littlecloud's apprentice still struck her. But she billowed on, barely daring to breath as she meowed, **"I.. I could actually help you, you know. Join ShadowClan for a while, train Mistpaw, treat you for your illness..." **She trailed off, blinking her round eyes on him as he returned the gaze. Great StarClan, she sounded stupider than a doormouse! She should have thought of something to say, but with her mind on other things such as _talking _to him about it, it just.. didn't come to mind. She shuffled her white paws numbly, not daring to glance back up at Littlecloud at all.

**"...I suppose so."**

**"I had thought you would say 'no'..!"**

**"Leafpool.. you're rambling, a bit. I said yes."**

Slowly, the brown and white tabby glanced back up at the tom in surprise, her jaw clenching and unclenching slightly, unsure if she heard right. She was quite prepared, actually, if he had said 'no' and hadn't bothered to think if he said yes. Her amber eyes glistened slightly and she grimaced slightly, her instant response had almost been comical, really, because of the amused glances that the brown toms kept shooting at each other. **"I- oh," **she meowed, blinking stupidly at them before dipping her head, **"Thank you, Littlecloud. You have no idea how much this means to me."**

His whiskers twitched slightly in amusement, as he nodded, smiling at her as she brought her head back up. **"I.. was actually quite hoping that you'd ask. You were much too observant for your own good." **A worried and perplexed expression crossed his face as he clenched his jaw, flicking his ears slightly against his head before glancing over at the low-hanging branches of which the leaders sat on. Blinking, he meowed hesitantly and softly at Leafpool, **"But I don't think that.. that Blackstar might let you in. He says that he-"**

**"Now that all the Clans are here, we can finally begin."**

Littlecloud snapped his jaws shut, glancing nervously over at Kestralflight before his eyes roamed freely around, and Leafpool quickly presumed that it was because of Mistpaw. Unsure of why Littlecloud had cut himself abruntly off, because the Clans' chatter usually ended roughly five to ten minutes after the leaders' declared that. Shooting a glance at him, she noticed him look anxious all over again, before erupting into coughs. Her expression melted into a much softer one as she offered a smile in his general direction and he motioned a paw weakly at her as he regained his breath.

**"RiverClan has been well, the shallows of the lake hasn't completely frozen over yet, so fish is still plenty, despite most of them already swimming to warmer waters. Curlkit and Podkit have been made apprentices, it's been decided that their mentors would be Hollowflight and Icewing. That is all,"** RiverClan's leader called out proudly, her whiskers twitching briefly as the blue-grey she-cat then leaned backwards slightly and dipped her head, allowing for one of the other leaders to speak.

The lithe mottled light brown tabby tom leader stepped forward, his amber eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the Clans. Onestar opened his maw, licking his jaws slightly as he raised one of his paws and began to inspect his paw, casually taking his time as the cats' chatter died down. **"WindClan has welcomed a litter of two into our Clan, with Heathertail and Breezepelt being the parents. They have been appointed the names of Hollykit and Brindlekit. Prey is scarce and our rivers have run low but all is fine and well enough in our Clan." **Raising his eyes briefly, he watched the Clans and smirked a bit before tossing his head to look over at Bramblestar and Blackstar, sending an inquiring glance their way. Blackstar shot a glare over at Bramblestar, as if accusing him of something and curled his lip slightly, then nodded his head, indicating the younger tom to go ahead.

**"Prey is scarce in ThunderClan territory but we still manage." **Bramblestar began then glanced challenging only towards Blackstar, who had narrowed his eyes at the ThunderClan's leader report. His voice unwavering, he blundered on, **"Squirrelflight has decided to join the nursery as of this moon, and Thornclaw has been appointed as my deputy. Lilykit and Seedkit have been made apprentices, their names are now Lilypaw and Seedpaw, and ThunderClan welcomes them as warrior apprentices. Berrynose and Mousewhisker has both agreed to mentor them." **He blinked then dipped his head, then glancing over at Blackstar, who raised his head proudly.

**"Tresspassers," **the threat was idle but strong as Blackstar proclaimed it, staring directly at Bramblestar with a glint in his fierce amber eyes. The former medicine cat of ThunderClan gasped aloud as did other cats, her heart feeling like it was leaping into her throat, her claws unsheathing and digging into the ground. She could barely hear Littlecloud sigh knowingly and could see out of the corner of her eye Kestralflight shaking his head in disapproval. **"ThunderClan scent has been found foxlengths from the border. If _any _cats are found bounding onto our side, we will not backdown from a fight. We _will _launch an attack on your Clan, Bramblestar, without hesitation. Mark my words." **He stared coldly at Bramblestar, both pairs of amber eyes glinting in the moonlight as Leafpool desperately glanced upwards, praying that StarClan would forbid this. The moon remained uncovered. _StarClan... what are you planning? _she thought, blinking grimly at the leaders.

**"..Blackstar? Your report?" **Came the agitated sigh from the WindClan leader.

**"..Toadfoot has fathered Ivytail's litter of kits. Brackenkit, Hazelkit and Marshkit. Pinenose has died from a bought of greencough, but her kit, Willowkit, has survived and being nursed by Ivytail." **Blackstar meowed, his voice ringing out through the dead silence in the clearing before yowling loudly; **"The Clans are dismissed!"**

The leaders leaped from the branches, landing gently onto their paws. Scurrying to their own four limbs, the medicine cats jumped up and began to bound away to join their Clans. Leafpool's heart clenched painfully in her chest as she shot a glance towards Bramblestar and ThunderClan. _He didn't dare mention me leaving to join ShadowClan, _she thought, sullenly. _But it's probably for the best. _A movement caught her eyes as she glanced around, as she noticed Littlecloud getting up to leave. He shot her a glance then smiled weakly as he noticed her following him like a lost duckling, staring around with wide eyes for a moment, feeling as if she would never see the island again. **"Aren't you going to your Clan, Leafpool?" **a confused meow caught her attention as she glanced around, noticing the ShadowClan's leader fierce gaze settle gently on her face, confusion and brief anger and other emotions flickering across his face as he stared intently at her, huffing through his nose slightly as the large tom stared intently at her.

**"She-... she has offered to help me mentor Mistpaw, with me having caught greencough and unable to do so," **Littlecloud piped up, his voice small and weak as he broke down into a coughing fit -which Leafpool couldn't decipher if it was actually just a rouse to get a sympathetic agreement to allow her into the Clan or a real coughing fit-.

Blackstar stared intently at his medicine cat, narrowing his eyes before he glanced over at the ThunderClanner, something like respect in his eyes, startling the poor brown tabby she-cat. **"Very thoughtful of you. ShadowClan has no need of support, but it is greatly appreciated. Now, off you go." **He tossed his head and began to pad away, following his Clan that his deputy, Rowanclaw, had started to lead back. Glancing around, the former medicine cat noticed the stray stragglers of RiverClan cats behind, gossiping amongst themselves briefly.

**"Actually. Yes, you can stay with my Clan." **He looked back at her, a sudden fierceness in his gaze, **"You will be treated like a prisoner until you earn your place as our medicine cat. You will obey all orders and serve your duties like an apprentice, no objections. You will be expected to teach Mistpaw and inspect the ill dayly, among other things. Tending to the elders' will not be a main priority like training Mistpaw, but still is nonetheless. A few selected cats, whom I will not name, will drop by unexpectedly and inspect how you have progressed in the Clan and decide if you are worthy. Your duties will be limited, and until we see you fit, you will not be allowed to mentor Mistpaw or tend to Littlecloud unless under Rowanclaw and my watchful eyes. This test will last a few days and begins tomorrow at dawn, so you better be on your best behaviour, Leafpool." **Then turning around with a powerful stride, the ShadowClan leader continued to bound away.

Leafpool followed him with wide eyes. It seemed very much a threat but... she could still earn a place as the temporary medicine cat of ShadowClan. It would be challenging, but she knew, that it would be worth it. _To save the fate of ShadowClan's medicine cats, I would do anything, _she thought, galloping after them, not wanting to get lost already. But her chest was already inflating with a brief fluttering of hope of being able to tend to the wounded and ill, like her destiny had once been.

_May StarClan help me pass this test._


	5. Part V

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Warriors, there would be a deep and well-thought out explaination of why LionblazexCinderheart is so random.

**A/N: **Story still belongs to Russell Scottie.

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"_Kits are a precious gift, Spiderleg, You should take every chance you can to be a good father. It's even better than being a mentor."_

—Leafpool to Spiderleg after he quarrels with Daisy _Long Shadows_, page 235

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Gentle objects like feathers fell around her, the sky above her clear and deprived of stars. The grass beneath her bent gently and caressed her, soothing her aching and tired muscles, her eyes daring to flutter closed. There was a distant haziness about the place, the vastness of a neverending valley reaching out in front of her, the lake and the forests to her back as she snuggled deeper into the ground. She knew it was a dream, even before she felt Crowfeather lay down next to her. But then he would turn to her and whisper something that sounded like an, **"My heart belongs to you, Leafpool." **And then she would wake up with a shriek.

"Oh, are you alright?" came the drowsy meow from beside the tabby, and she glanced over in surprise at the pale and slender mottled tortoiseshell she-cat who blinked calmly over at the medicine cat with bright blue eyes, her eyes half-lidded with confusion and the desire to succumb to sleep.

**"I- I'm fine..."** the former ThunderClanner meowed calmly, blinking into the darkness, shifting onto her right side to face the she-cat, staring intently at the tortoiseshell. **"Erm.. Tawnypelt, right? Bramblestar's sister?"**

**"Yeah,"** the she-cat meowed, her eyes lighting up briefly as she nodded, a curt and swift movement that left Leafpool dizzy and light-headed as she looked at the quick movement, drowsiness effecting her horribly. **"You shrieked.. like one of my kits. Are you sure you're alright? You sounded like something frightened you."**

Blinking her amber eyes slowly, the medicine cat nodded slowly, the movement causing her to groan in protest slightly. Glancing outside briefly of the warriors' den, she pinpointed the position of the moon and her eyes narrowed greatly. So, roughly fifteen minutes she had been asleep, no wonder she felt tired and light-headed still. **"I just had a dream that really.. startled me. But of course, it could never happen, not while he still hates me."**

**"Who?" **Her tone light and inquiring as the she-cat shifted to face the tabby who glanced back nervously.

**"Crowfeather." **Her response was soft, quick, and to the point, before folding her ears against her head and resting her head on her frost-colored paws, golden-brown gaze glinting in the gentle moonlight flittering through the den.

**"Get a mate and kits, that's the quickest way to forget about someone and stabalize yourself in your new Clan," **the pale mottled she-cat meowed wisely, grinning at the look that the other former ThunderClanner shot her before licking one of her pale paws innocently. **"..Fall in love all over again. It's the greatest feeling in the world, being in love. ShadowClan doesn't care much for the code, so despite being our new medicine cat, they won't care much if you get a new mate and kits." **Her eyes widened briefly as the brown tabby slowly began to shake her head, staring at the she-cat in surprise then confusion. **"...You _are _hoping to earn your place here, right? You are planning on staying, right?"**

Her almost-hurt expression snagged at the younger she-cat heart, blinking in surprise and confusion at the older she-cat. Slowly, almost against her will, she nodded. _For a little while, anyways. _The tortoiseshell's face melted into a pleased expression, **"Good... good... it'll be nice to talk with a fellow ex-ThunderClanner for once. It gets a bit lonely, actually, being surrounded by cats you weren't originally born in. So Leafpool-" **How did she know her name...? Wait, nevermind, everybody probably knew by now. **"-I've heard that you're going to be training Mistpaw." **An uneasy and hesitant chuckle. **"Good luck, you'll be needing it. She's a feisty one with a sharp tongue."**

Blinking in surprise, the former ThunderClanner stared at Tawnypelt with wide eyes, opening her jaws slightly before closing it, before nodding slowly, blinking at equal speed and glancing around almost nervously. **"Yeah, I know, I met her at the gathering.. quite a pawful, I don't quite know why Littlecloud chose her as his apprentice. Dewpaw would have been better, probably. I saw her briefly too, she seemed less... erm..."**

**"Horrible?" **Tawnypelt supplied.

**"...yeah, I suppose..." **Trailing off, Leafpool's eyes clouded with doubt, not daring to look up and over at Tawnypelt, lost in her own wandering thoughts. _"__You will be treated like a prisoner until you earn your place as our medicine cat. You will obey all orders and serve your duties like an apprentice, no objections." _So did that mean that she would have to be treated like an apprentice? As in, sleeping in the apprentices' den? She cringed, frowning a bit as she dragged her tongue over her paw, not liking the sound of that. _I... got out of that den moons ago! So why would I be sent back? But... then again... I'm a medicine cat again, so shouldn't I be dozing in the medicine cat den then? No. He said 'serve your duties like an_ apprentice' _not a medicine cat apprentice, so I'll probably have to sleep there. Great. Just great..._

**"ShadowClan to Leafpool? Are you there?" **came Tawnypelt's honey voice, startling the younger she-cat out of her thoughts, glancing back up at the pale tortoiseshell who smiled sadly at the ex-ThunderClanner's ignorance. **"Lost in your thoughts, are you? Best to keep to yourself the first few days, us ShadowClan cats can get sketchy towards our... _'guests'. _But everybody probably knows of you joining out Clan though, save for some slow-thinking cats. You weren't exactly quiet, storming in here like that. I'm surprised nobody has woken up yet to our bickering! Haha, well, best to get more sleep, though. Come here, your nest looks cold, you can sleep next to me if you'd like." **The offer was shot into the air in the jist of the older ex-ThunderClanner's banter and startled Leafpool again as the ShadowClanner waggled her paw, beckoning for the young tabby to come over.

**"I... uh... what?" **the she-cat squeaked out, not completely comprehending it.

**"Shh, Leafpool, I'm not going to kill you or anything. Why would I want to do that?" **the pale mottled tortoiseshell purred in amusement at the medicine cat's bewildered expression before groggily getting to her paws. Leafpool glanced away, her back still to Tawnypelt, and moved her tail gently across the ground. With a soft laugh, the tortoiseshell wrapped her paws around the tabby -who let out a muffled shriek- and yanked her back until they were back on the older she-cat's nest. **"Geez, Leafpool, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you," **the amused and worried voice murmured, her breath settling onto the tabby's ear. **"As long as you're here, I'll be your best friend, Leafpool. Don't worry, I'll fend off those toms that want to drag you away, make such beautiful kits. So quit wriggling.." **The brown and white tabby froze before slowly releasing out her tension, ignoring the pounding in her heart. _She's only worried about me._

Sighing softly, the tabby rested her head on her paws, ignoring the pressure from right beside her, signalling that Tawnypelt was dozing beside her. _This is really weird. _She thought. _But to know that I have a friend... well, that's good news. But I don't think I can fall asleep tonight, with her next to me. _But in a matter of moments, they both began to drift off to sleep.

She felt a sharp prodding in her side, causing the she-cat to groan and roll over, smoothening out the moss bedding, whining and complaining, waggling her tail slightly as she lay on her back, ignoring the dull throbbing pain in her lower back, before properly positioning herself and the paine eased away. **"Five more minutes, please," **the medicine cat sobbed out pathetically, being snuggling deeper into the moss bedding. When the prodding stopped, she raised her head and glanced around, noticing a few stragglers in the warriors' den too. Resting her head down, she closed her eyes. Suddenly and with surprise, she let out a meow of anguish as water poured over her face, the familiar squelching of moss ringing in her ears. **"H-hey!" **she yowled. **"T-that's cold!"**

She heard a soft snicker, glaring up into Tawnypelt's heather blue eyes, before the warrior bounded off, calling over her shoulder: **"Can't be late, Leaf_paw_! You still have to check the elders' for ticks, rebuild some of our dens with Sparrowpaw and Mistpaw, and then train Dewpaw! _In that order! _So hurry up!" **Rolling over sluggishly, the brown tabby stretched, hunching her back and spreading her toes. The rude wake up call had dragged out most of her drowsiness, but she still felt like she had only closed her eyes before being prodded awake. Her paws were sore from padding after them from the gathering last night, traveling over unknown territory. The warrior's head poked in through the entrance again, blue eyes narrowed. **"The elders' aren't going to get rid of the ticks themselves!" **Then she flashed a grin at the "apprentice" before bounding away.

Shaking her head while grinning from ear to ear, she began to bound out of the den, shaking her pelt in the blistering breeze that bit her as soon as she moved out of the safety and warmth of the den. Blinking her eyes rapidly, she glanced around for the elders' den, before realizing that she didn't have a clue where it was. Nervously, she began to move again, dodging some warriors who didn't so much as spare a glance at her but nodded at her apologies. Blinking, she observed the Clan's lifestyle, subconsciously comparing it to her own former life.

It was roughly a few hours into the morning, but already the camp was bustling like bees. Chuckling slightly, she watched the newborn kits stumble over each other, straying not too far from a small den which their tortoiseshell mother stood in front of. The queen glanced up, caught the medicine cat's eye, and nodded, smiling ever so slightly before scolding her kits about wandering too far. She began to complain to her mate, a long-limbed brown tom, about how energetic they are, despite being only one moon old, but she was obviously amused, from the glint in her eyes.

**"Leafpool - er, Leafpaw?" **came a shy and inquiritive meow from behind the medicine cat "apprentice", startling her into turning around, staring in amazement at the grey she-cat who moved her black paws slowly and shyly, not daring to meet the former ThunderClanner's gaze. **"I'm... Shrewfoot," **she supplied finally after a moment of silence, glancing nervously up at the she-cat with pale green eyes. **"I was to... er... show you where the mousebile was stored, I guess. We normally keep it in the medicine cat den but... y'know.. with Littlecloud being sick and all... we keep it in the elders' den instead." **She had cleared her throat numerous times during her little speech, and briefly Leafpool wondered if Shrewfoot was actually coming down with a cold or something, because her eyes were energetic but her voice hoarse and her movements almost sluggish. **"Follow me, Leafpaw."**

Without questioning why she was being called Leafpaw -didn't Blackstar say she would be treated like an apprentice, anyways?-, the wet-faced medicine cat followed Shrewfoot, stepping over the kits and playfully dragging her tail across one of their eyes -to which the kit squeeled joyfully- and bounding over to the den nearest the nursery. Shrewfoot stepped inside, and beckoned the older she-cat with a flick of her thin grey tail. Following suit, the medicine cat stepped inside and glanced around, smiling in approval of how neat everything was. **"It's stored right here," **Shrewfoot's hoarse voice could be heard. Glancing over, the tabby noticed a small crevice in the cave walls, where foul spelling bile was stored, as well as a stray carcass of a mouse, with some flowers from greenleaf to help mask the scent.

**"Thanks, Shrewfoot," **the tabby meowed, as the grey furred and black pawed she-cat moved aside, before gently scooping up into her paws, careful not to unsheath her claws in case it got stuck, and turned around, watching the black-footed she-cat pad out. She glanced over at the elders and hopped over to them on three-limbs, careful not to trip.

The dark grey and short-legged stout tom glanced up, blinking his deep amber at the young she-cat, blinking in amusement, then opened his grey-flecked muzzle to speak: **"Ah, so you're Leafpool. All the cats have been told to call you Leafpaw for now, until your test is over. I'm Cedarheart." **He flicked his tail towards an elderly long-legged light brown tabby she-cat, **"That's Tallpoppy." **The she-cat dipped her head, then flicked his tail over towards a long-furred white she-cat with blue eyes, one of which was cloudy. _Is... is she deaf by any chance? _The she-cat flicked her ear, staring at Leafpool, as if objecting to Leafpool's thoughts. **"And Whitewater." **He flicked his tail towards a dark brown tom with a tabby tail, a shredded ear as well as a grey flecked tail, meowing softly, **"And Snaketail." **Cedarheart dropped his tail and smiled at Leafpool's hesitation.

**"Not all of us need mousebile, Sparrowpaw had been past here already. There should only been Tallpoppy left." **The long-legged she-cat smiled weakly at the brown and white tabby she-cat, Leafpool's amber gaze flickering over towards the lengthy limbed she-cat before slowly padding over. Looks like her work was cropped short, alright. Using her spare paw, she began to feel through the light brown tabby's fur, ignoring the horrible stench emitting off of her other mousebile-covered paw.

**"You know, I'm very proud of you actually, going to join ShadowClan out of the blue like that, just to support Littlecloud and Mistpaw. StarClan knows that we need more medicine cats. You know, Mistpaw hasn't always been like her moody self."** Leafpool located the only tick and swept her paw to the left side before beginning to dab it onto the tick.** "It was just after she almost died, really, or more correctly after Flametail's death, that it really affected her. They were pretty close after he saved her, you know." **Leafpool watched the tick tumble out of the light brown tabby's coat before stomping it beneath her paw, making sure that it was dead before checking the elder's pelt again for ticks.

**"Okay, your good to go. Call me if any of you need anything," **the medicine cat meowed, almost going to lick her paw before realizing what she was about to do and stared at her paw in disgust, murmering something that sounded like 'I need to go wash this off' before waving her paw in dismissal as Tallpoppy meowed her thanks and the other elders meowed their goodbyes as Leafpool exited the den.

**"Over here, Leafpaw!" **came a loud cry, causing the she-cat to turn and look over in surprise at a fairly large tom -he was almost the size of her!- whose pelt was a deep chestnut brown, his large paws a smooth blur as he raced over to her, skidding in the slick slush, spraying across Leafpool's chest and paws, adding more moisture to her pelt other than the stuff already on her face. He blinked at her before smiling apologetically, **"Heh, sorry. Name's Sparrowpaw, by the way. We've already done the rebuilding of the dens, you don't have to do anything, though. We'll probably have to do it tomorrow again though, if the snowfall is heavy again." **Suddenly, he leaned forward, a serious glint in his eyes. **"I hear you're going to be mentoring Mistpaw right now, despite being a 'paw yourself. But I guess this is a test too but.. you better watch what you eat. She'll probably stuff it with deathberries. She's moody and not to be messed with; don't get on her bad side, everybody does sooner or later, but how she deals out punishment, well... you just better hope for the best." **Then he withdrew his head, flashed a smile, and bounded away, leaving the startled tabby behind.

Leafpool blinked her amber eyes, unsure of how to react to Sparrowpaw's declaration. Wasn't Sparrowpaw Mistpaw's and Dewpaw's brother..? So she better heed his warning, she supposed. As she began to pad towards the medicine cat den -an assumption, because she couldn't really tell but a strong smell of herbs was coming from over there- she felt her thoughts wander towards the feisty grey dappled apprentice.

_What can one lone apprentice do? _She thought, chuckling. If only she knew just exactly _what _the apprentice could -and _would- _do, when angered, and unfortunately, Leafpool would that learn the hard way.


	6. Part VI

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own Warriors, if I did... wait. I do this every single time.. er... well, anyways, Squirrelpaw wouldn't have stalked Brambleclaw on the great journey.

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**Squirrelflight**: "_It was never my secret to tell. Leafpool had so much to lose._"  
**Brambleclaw**: "_She lost everything anyway._"  
**Leafpool**: "_No, I didn't. I watched my kits grow into fine warriors, and I still serve my Clan with all my heart._"  
—Leafpool to Brambleclaw _The Last Hope_, page 200

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The lithe brown tabby she-cat ducked, her ears flattening against her head as she shuffled her paw slowly forward, scuffling up loose bits of moss as more mice were chucked her way, a string of insults being shot her way. She blinked her amber eyes as she glanced up a very ferious spiky-furred apprentice. _Sheesh, and _I _thought Berrynose was rude, _she thought curtly as she dodged smoothly another mouse. _How many mice does she _have _in here anyways? _She glanced over and narrowed her eyes, wondering how _exactly _she got into this mess anyways, she had only padded into here and muttered a meek 'hello' and then she was getting thrown at with _prey!_

**"That's considered wasting food," **Leafpool meowed, hiding behind a wall of spare moss, glaring daggers at the young apprentice. **"Whatever did I do wrong to you, Mistpaw?" **The spiky-furred apprentice froze, sending cold and unforgiving glances at the former ThunderClanner before huffing through her nose and padding over towards a moss bedding and beginning to fix it, to arrange it properly. It was old, as far as Leafpool could tell, and looked quite messy. **"Why not just throw it out?" **The older she-cat meowed, glancing over in confusion as she moved out from beside the heap of bedding that smelled strongly of Littlecloud.

**"I.. I could never do that, this was.. this was.. augh," **the grey dappled apprentice spat, almost uncertain of her words as she stared intently down at the bedding before pawing at it with her only darker grey paw, smoothing it out with tender and care, staring down with sad and woe-ful eyes, blinking a bit before saying softly, her tone forcefully-right and tight as she spoke, **"This was... my nest... yup, my very _first _nest.."**

Her voice was heavy as she glanced blankly up at the tabby she-cat, frowning a bit as she did so. Could she have been lying? But why would she lie..? But then again, she could have been telling the truth, but it was the _way _she told it... But Leafpool had no right to judge the apprentice. The tabby continued to glance in surprise at the younger grey she-cat, not daring to glance away. Mistpaw, with heavy-lidded eyes, meowed solemnly and doubtfully, **"..I was interpeting signs from StarClan, I guess; ripping apart the mice for signs, too. I thought I saw a sign foretelling of... I'm not sure exactly but.. but then Dewpaw came and ate it while visiting me and.. I lost it. I thought that maybe.. the other mice would have the same sign. Guess not, huh?"**

**"A sign?" **She blinked at the younger she-cat, before nodding curtly, as if the apprentice's explaination explained everything. **"I see... what did this sign look like?" **Her tone was amused, her eyes lighting up slightly as she inched towards the dappled apprentice, knowing that it was safe to wander closer now. **"I bet it must have been important though, if it got you to look through almost all the mice in camp. Shouldn't they be hibernating anyways or something? Hm.."**

The apprentice glanced up before nodding slowly, **"Yeah, you'd figure they'd be sleeping away the snow or something crazy like that but... but... I just thought that the sign could have been sent by Flametail." **Her tone was light and smooth, her eyes closing a bit more as she said her last sentence, and she sounded as if she was about to choke up and cry or something of the sort.

_She was the one he saved, wasn't she? _Leafpool thought, blinking warmly and in understanding at the apprentice before lightly touching the grey she-cats shoulder in a comforting manner. The apprentice glanced up and sniffled before shuffling away from Leafpool's touch, seemingly embarassed. **"You know... with him being the former medicine cat apprentice... he... he... might've wanted to show _me _something." **Her eyes clouded over with pain but let out a half-coherent curse as Leafpool moved forward again to comfort her. **"The mouse...! Right, the mouse. The sign, um... well, I was just about to eat it, right? I was tearing into it and _everything_ but it was just ashes... it tasted of ashes.. As I drew back and looked inside, it was full of soot!"**

**"...And Dewpaw came in and _ate _it?" **Leafpool asked slowly, her eyes clouding over in confusion as she stared at the apprentice whose ears turned a shade of red as she began to stutter. The tabby patiently awaited an answer as the apprentice struggled to form words.

**"I... um, well, yeah. But by then it was... just a normal mouse," **she meowed, her deep blue eyes wide as she continued to stutter senselessly, adding a string of words to her half-formed sentences, not willing to meet the older she-cat's eyes. **"But then I smelled smoke... lots... and lots of smoke... d'you think it means much of anything?"**

**"I..." **Leafpool trailed off before smiling broadely at the apprentice. _Let's try not to scare the poor sweetheart and get her more angry than she already was, _she thought. **"I'm sure it means nothing." **_Ecspecially what it means actually scares me. _**"Nothing. At all."**

**"I- oh.. okay, I'm sure you know best," **Mistpaw sniffed before glaring at Leafpool pointedly and continued to glower, her blue eyes narrowing bit by bit, and she began to curl her lip. **"Now don't think that just because I confinded in you, that it makes us buddy-buddies or something crazy like that. You're the only official medicine cat here, despite being called Leafpaw, y'know? Littlecloud is sick, so you're all I have. So you better teach me well, got it?"**

She lifted her head up and assumed a proud stance, staring coldly into Leafpool's amber eyes, her own pair of blue eyes glittering ever so slightly, her breaths coming through her nose. **"And don't you _dare _mention the mice!" **Then, with a huff, the apprentice turned around and marched around the den, snapping at the scattered preys' tails and snagging them snugly in her jaws, five in total dangling from her mouth as she marched out of the den.

The brown she-cat stared after the grey she-cat before smiling softly to herself, mumbling under her breath. **"What an interesting she-cat..." **she mused before turning her gaze towards the herb storage, raising her soaking paws up before stopping short and glancing down, frowning slightly as she realized that she had yet to wash off her paws. She glanced over towards the herbs before noticing that they too, were tucked into neat and small crevices, as many as twenty in plain view, nearly half of them stocked, but not nearly enough, she realized.

_First thing's first. My paws need a quick but sure washing, to get this horrible stench off, before I contaminate any prey or any such thing when I go to eat! _Turning around, she marched out of the den, her tail swaying slightly as she moved. _And being called 'Leafpaw' again, quite odd indeed; I reckon that they'll give me a new medicine cat name too, then._

**"Good morning, Leafpaw." **She dipped her head in greeting towards the cream-furred she-cat before raising her head curiously, her eyes bright as she glanced at the yellow-eyed she-cat. _Tawnypelt's... daughter. She was the one who...!_

**"Accused Jayfeather of murder."**

The cream she-cat blinked in surprise before dropping her head, her white neat whiskers twitching slightly, her paws shuffling a bit as she nodded meekly, lowering her gaze. Her short-furred tail was twitching slightly, her small petite paws moving a bit, as if she wanted to move forward to talk to the medicine cat even closer. **"Yes, I, Dawnpelt of ShadowClan, had accused Jayfeather of murdering my brother, Flametail."**

Then with a fit of anger, Leafpool leaped forward, her paws outstretched as she flattened the she-cat against the outside den wall, staring her coldly into the yellow-eyed she-cat's eyes, anger filling her own amber pools. **"You... accused my son!" **she spat, her hackles raising as her lip peeled back slightly, the skin and fur across her muzzle wrinkling slightly. **"It was merely a crack in the ice! Surely, you know that by now? So how can you face me? How can you face me, knowing that I mothered the tom who you accused of murdering your brother? Dawnpelt, tell me _why."_**Her anger had left her now, and her grip was loose as she pressed against the shoulders of the short-furred she-cat, her amber eyes blinking dimly as a few cats stopped their business to watch the argument. **"Don't... don't keep quiet about this. I deserve an answer, Dawnpelt."**

Dawnpelt opened her maw before closing it again, turning her head slightly and slowly easing her way away from the tabby she-cat, a distrusting look in her eyes. **"...I was just saying good morning, Leafpaw. I was proud of you, I suppose, knowing that you gave up everything to help us." **The pale she-cat smirked slightly as she tilted up her head, her eyes shining as she stared into the medicine cat's proud gaze. **"But I suppose... that maybe, I was wrong about you. You're still a lowly medicine cat; you don't deserve to be in this Clan, for we are _better _than you."**

Leafpool froze, her white paws -still tinged with grey from the slush- slowly inched away the younger she-cat, disbelief flying through her eyes. She opened her white muzzle, before realizing that no words were coming, her white whiskers were twitching as she blinked rapidly, her ears folding against her head because of Dawnpelt's accusation. Her tail swayed slightly, her paws suddenly seeming unable to support her weight.

**"You're wrong, Dawnpelt." **Leafpool didn't dare glance over her shoulder to see who spoke, humiliation was stabbing her in the back. **"She was giving up everything she could have had. She wasn't able to piece together her life, and so she joined our own Clan, hoping to start a new life. She took her rank back, after being toyed out of it like a mouse. She _belongs _here, Dawnpelt. She will always be able to call this place home, for as long as she'd like. Make good use of yourself, and go join a patrol."**

Dawnpelt's eyes narrowed a bit before nodding, then beginning to streak towards the camp entrance, glancing back over her shoulder to glare at the former medicine cat. _I've ruined my image, in her eyes. She isn't proud of me anymore, I suppose. I lashed out at her and now... and now I believe I've made an enemy. But... I've also made a friend. _Glancing over, she turned to thank her defender before stopping in her tracks, surprise flitting over her features before smiling softly.

**"Thank you... Blackstar."**

The leader glanced at her before offering one of his rare smiles and dipped his head, his voice gruff yet light as he spoke, his jet black paws twitching slightly as he meowed, **"Anything for you, Leafpool."** He dare not call her Leafpaw, she realized.** "She stepped out of line, I was due to put her back in and keep her restrained; although you shouldn't have lashed out at her." **His amber gaze became skeptical as he stared at her, blinking at her with a doubtful expression. **"You still have yet to earn your place, Leafpool. But you're off to a good start, aside from that tongue-lashing. I wouldn't expect less from one of the greatest medicine cats in the forest." **He dipped his head before turning to pad away, then glancing over his shoulder and holding his head up proudly. **"If Dawnpelt, or any other of my cats dare threatens you like that again, you are to report to me straight away. I will help in any way I can."**

**"Of course, Blackstar. I wouldn't expect less from _you_," **Leafpool openly countered, grinning a bit before brushing off imaginary dust from one of her paws as she studied his face before he glanced away, obviously intending to go on a patrol or speak with the warriors or something of the sort. Her amber eyes searched his face, as if debating if he was being truthful or not, her white paws -still slushy and reeking of mousebile, she realized- twitching slightly. **"I'll keep that in mind; thanks for the offer."**

**"It's a pleasure having you here, why would I not offer my assistance to you, when you so willingly join my Clan? Very brave of you, I must say, noble in fact. Worthy of a warrior." **He turned his head towards one of his warriors and said something to them before glancing back at the medicine cat and nodded, a small tilt of his lips upwards. **"Better be off, have to keep the ThunderClan cats at bay before they snatch you back. Can't have they happening, now can we?" **He chuckled openly before flicking his tail in a form of good-bye before sauntering off.

Leafpool sighed, then glancing down and sniffed her paws before recoiling slightly, a disapproving look on her face. _Best to go wash this stench off, then go deal with that miserable apprentice, _she thought, then glanced around, almost smiling to herself. _I've only been here a day and already... some cats are treating me like I belong. Maybe this _was _the right choice, to join ShadowClan._

She meowed a few greetings before glancing towards the camp entrance, half-expecting for the cream-furred she-cat to leap out and claw off her ears in frustration, then almost smiled to herself, despite the fear that clenched at her heart and plagued her like a disease. Unknownst to her, the omen inside the mouse would be more important, and that Dawnpelt would get her revenge soon enough for her humiliation.. if only she knew of this, she would have been worrying, but no such thoughts plagued her mind. Not yet. And hopefully, not too soon.


	7. Part VII

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own Warriors, or else Brambleclaw/star would've _not _ended up in a relationship with Squirrelflight. Maybe.

**A/N: **I love all your reviews. T^T It's nice to know that people actually like this story and that I'm not writing it just for fun (even though I am). Short chapter is short, I hope you guys don't mind.

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Leafpool stretched her limbs, her toes wriggling slightly as she arched her back, a lopsided grin covering her face. Despite being forced to remain in camp for the past few days since she's been here, it hadn't been all that bad. Her tail twitched slightly as she flicked her amber gaze around the camp, noticing a few stragglers out. The dawn patrol would be setting off soon, and she was planning on joining it to study the environment and recover any and all herbs if possible before leafbare truly set in, the cold threatening to crush and destroy all remains of their herbs. It was looking to be a cold leafbare, even worse than the season she had given birth to her kits... She glanced almost solemnly towards the direction of the ThunderClan territory, her gaze full of longing and heartache.

**"You miss them, don't you?" **came a soft yet weak cough from near her, startling the pale tabby into whipping around in surprise and glancing at the other darker brown tabby. Leafpool sighed in relief before dipping her head in the older medicine cat's direction. **"Of course you do, I can see it in your eyes. Don't play coy, Leafpool. We both know that deep down, you're miserable like Tawnypelt is. You're used to your own territory, you're being cooped up in camp, and being threatened by your best friend's -assuming that's what Tawnypelt is- daughter... it must be rough. But you'll see, we knit closer together _because _of being shielded away from other Clanlife. Things will be more different as soon as you get used to everything.. You'll see, trust me. Everything will be fine, dearest Leafpool."**

Leafpool stared at Littlecloud before nodding her head meekly, letting herself relax on the stone that jutted out of the ground, nearly swallowed whole by the snow that threatened to fall any moment now. **"I know, Littlecloud.. but you _do _know that I don't intend on staying here much longer, right? You've taught Mistpaw well, and although Tawnypelt promised me that my trials were coming to an end... I feel like I'll be needed back in my own home, soon." **She smiled sadly, shaking her head slowly. **"I just.. I don't belong here."**

**"Nor do you belong there." **Littlecloud's tone was light and humorous but he still meant it in a serious manner as he glanced towards her and offered a small smile before coughing weakly, the short little spouts of air causing his body to shake uncontrollably as he continued to hack away, Leafpool dared to inch forward to soothingly rub along his back to comfort him. **"Leafpool, you must promise me this... that no matter what happens to myself... you will tend to Mistpaw and my Clan whenever needed, and stay if needed. Make sure that there is still a medicine cat to help save ShadowClan from disaster, Leafpool."**

**"Wha-? What are you talking about, Littlecloud? You make it sound as if you're going to die." **Leafpool's voice wavered slightly as she blinked down at the tom, pressing her muzzle to his ear comfortingly, rubbing her tailtip in circles along his spine as he wheezed, and gently placed one of her paws atop of his. **"You're not. You're going to live, as long as I'm here. Nothing will stop me from saving ShadowClan, Littlecloud. It's my.. it's like my second home. I'm sure nothing bad will happen, besides, I've already promised Squirrelflight that I'd be there when she kitted. But I promise, Littlecloud; no matter what, I'll be here." **Worry began to spread through her fur as suddenly she leaned away from the older but much smaller tom and stared intently into his face. **"Littlecloud... has StarClan shown you a sign? What disaster are you speaking of?"**

Littlecloud opened his maw, distress bright in his eyes as he flattened his ears against his skull, his paws twitching slightly as he glanced feverishly towards the medicine cat. **"I'm talking about-" **He cut himself off suddenly, his eyes widened dramatically as he pulled back, but much too late, as he began to cough feverishly and release his lunch from within his stomach, creating a mess over their paws.

Leafpool leaped to her paws, a cry of disgust vibrating up through her throat as she glanced in disgust at the nasty remains of what appeared to be a frog swam across her paws. She felt her throat constrict as she looked at the horrid mess, wanting so much to flick off the goo that clung to her paws. She glanced over towards Littlecloud, and began to notice his dry heaving, and went to go over to comfort him, recoiling slightly as the mess squished beneath her paw. **"'m.. sorry, Leafpool, I don't know how that.. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.." **he mumbled through jagged breaths as he glanced feverishly up at her as he struggled to his paws.

**"It's... okay, Littlecloud.. it might take a bit to wash out but... everything is okay, I'm sure everything will be alright. Too much excitement for today, I guess, that's it. I want you to go... to go to the medicine cat den and stay there okay? Actually, um... no, let's just go to the river, we'd need a lot of moss to clean this up, and we don't have a lot of it right now." **Leafpool lowered her voice as she continued to mumble to herself, blinking a bit as she mulled over her decision. **"I'll get... Sparrowpaw or Dewpaw to.. to clean this up. Yeah. I'll go get Mistpaw; we should go looking for leftover herbs after, yeah..."**

Littlecloud blinked calmly at her before muttering something incoherent, watching her pad away quickly, dripping everywhere the nasty stuff that Littlecloud had been -oh so thoughtful- to upchuck, and bounded towards the apprentices' den. **"Sparrowpaw, Dewpaw!" **she called loudly into the den, her voice vibrating off of the walls momentarily as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness that overwhelmed her. **"Dewpaw! Sparrowpaw! Come out here." **She noticed the snoring figure of the familiar large brownish-red tom and blinked in surprise for a moment before coughing slightly, glancing around again.

**"No need to shout, Leafpool," **a quiet voice startled the tabby she-cat into whipping around in surprise, before her gaze fell upon the blue-eyed apprentice that stood next to her. _Dewpaw, _Leafpool thought briefly, studying the fluffy-grey she-cat's face, a hint of sleepiness clouding her eyes. **"Only Sparrowpaw is in there. Blackstar -his mentor- let him sleep in today, after falling in a snowdrift.. but I'm available to help. Wha... what's it you need?" **Her voice was quiet as she studied the older she-cat's face before following the tabby's gaze and noticing Littlecloud's weary form and the vomit. **"Oh, uh, lovely... yeah, I'll get on it, I guess... Mistpaw is on dawn patrol, I think, something about 'last minute cobwebs' or something crazy like that, I think... yeah... has the dawn patrol left yet, anyways?"**

Leafpool shook her head, blinking warmly at the grey she-cat before meowing softly, **"I- I'll find her, I guess.. But cleaning up that mess would be great, yeah. Littlecloud and I will head to the river, it's better we clean it off now before we have to chip it off when it freezes... tell Mistpaw that we'll be by the river, okay?" **Mistpaw's littermate nodded, before Leafpool retreated back to Littlecloud's side, uttering comforting words as she lead the weary tom through the camp entrance. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, offering a sad grimace as he coughed shortly and weakly.

...Maybe dragging around soaking bundles of moss would have been better. She had deemed him well enough to travel, but perhaps that was a bad idea. And the cold water from the river would surely give him frostbite so... Aw, great StarClan, they simply should have stayed in camp and peeled off the dry throw up! Leafpool hissed in agitation and kicked at the snow, sending up white fluffs everywhere, specks of white flecking her neat white whiskers. She wrinkled her pink nose in distaste, blinking her amber eyes through the dawn that flooded the territory.

**"Worry not, Leafpool, my weary bones can withstand another leafbare. Don't fret over it, alright?" **Littlecloud's weak voice startled the other medicine cat. The brown tabby she-cat glanced nervously at him, blinking in disbelief at him. He glanced over towards her and offered a grimace before glancing away, not quite sure how to tell him to go back to camp, or something of the like. **"Leafpool.. I said-"**

**"I know. Don't fret over it, right? But..." **She trailed off, a solemn look in her eyes as she glanced down towards the snow that softly crunched beneath their paws. She could already see frost build up on the... _Whoa, better stop there, Leafpool, don't start looking at it too long. No matter how long you look at a cat's bile, it makes you want to throw up too. It's only natural. _She thought, before shuddering visibly. **"I.. can't help but shake the feeling that you're going to die during this leafbare because of me."**

Littlecloud shot a glance towards her before his features smoothened into a smile as he silently shook his head. Then he spoke in an amused voice, **"I'm not going to let any leafbare get the better of me, Leafpool; I assure you of that." **He looked forward again before smoldering a cough that suddenly erupted from within his chest. He keeled over, his tail straightening slightly as he coughed, while Leafpool soothingly patted one of his paws, before realizing it was still covered in his throw-up and dragged her paw across the clean sheets of snow. **"Let's just head off towards the river, yes? Best to... get this off, freeze off our paws right now too, then journey on, hm?"**

**"...Yeah, sure, Littlecloud, let's... let's do that," **Leafpool meowed softly, a doubtful expression on her face as she blinked, looking at him with confused eyes. _I don't think that you're going to make it, Littlecloud, you... you'll probably die. Yes, you'll probably die and I could do nothing about it, like I had done for Honeyfern's death. _She frowned and stretched her paws, attempting to wash off the frost. She shivered involuntarily and continued on her way, beckoning the brown tabby tom after her. The brown-nosed tom quickly came forward, his movements quick despite his age. **"Let's get this... wonderful.. mess off of our paws, okay?" **Her tone was of a disgusted she-cat but she dare not say anything, more embarrassed than anything now that she had actually throw-up on her paws.

Unknownst to either of them, a pair of dark blue eyes watched their every movement. The cat's revenge would come very soon, oh yes, and the revenge would be very much bittersweet..


	8. Part VIII

**Disclaimer: **I wish I may, I wish I might, I still don't own Warriors tonight.

**A/n: **This is a mildly depressing chapter (I think I wrote Leafpool's feelings about the situation weirdly though), but it was necessary for the plot! *hides from the Littlecloud fans*

* * *

To say the least, Leafpool didn't expect this. In fact, nobody did. It was an honest mistake to let Littlecloud wandering out of the den the past few weeks, and now Littlecloud would pay dearly for it.

Leafpool dabbed gently along the brown tom's forehead, murmering encouraging words to the other medicine cat. The brown-nosed tom glanced up at her, an almost pleading look in his eyes. **"Water," **he croaked out, his voice raspy, the one word taking up too much of his energy. His head sunk back down into the dry moss that served as a bed for the sickly medicine cat. Leafpool stared down at him, trying to form comforting words before gently scooping up the wet moss, that lay next to them, between her paws and brought it to Littlecloud's muzzle. Patiently, he opened his maw, eagerly awaiting for the water that sprinkled his face loosely, lapping at it like a kit would it's milk. He closed his eyes in content as he lapped it up before letting out a sputtering cough.

Littlecloud had caught a bout of frostbite on his forepaws a few weeks ago, the day that he had oh-so-pleasantly threw up all over their paws and they went to wash their paws in the river. It was a miracle that it wasn't very severe, as it often wasn't caught by cats and Leafpool didn't know how to treat it in the slightest. Leafpool had been spared by the leafbare's horrid grip that caught Littlecloud's toes, but the joy of having it missed her would be wiped in the next few weeks, as Littlecloud's illness only got worse.

Littlecloud glanced up at the slender tabby she-cat, offering a soft smile, shaking his head slowly. **"Leafpool, today I join StarClan, you can do nothing to prevent this. It's my time to go," **the small tom croaked before staring up at the den ceiling above. Leafpool visibly tensed, her intelligent amber eyes glimmering brightly as she listened, slowly shaking her head. She hadn't been able to form words the past while and still wasn't able to do it now. **"Tend to my... Clan, Leafpool. Watch... over Mistpaw... okay?" **He managed out, glancing up at her without really seeing her. The lithe tabby she-cat nodded her head, her ears threatening to flatten against her skull, wanting to yowl to StarClan to not take him. **"I... ShadowClan has been my home since... I've been born... to.. Newtspeck... but now, Leafpool, I... want this to be your... home too..."**

Leafpool stared down at him, a disbelieving expression on her neat face. Her amber eyes glistened, her neat and long whiskers twitching with anticipation as she slowly began to shake her head. **"N-No.. I-I can't." **She swallowed nervously, her tongue feeling swollen and a soft whisper of fur against fur sounded as her ears became pinned to her head. **"Jayfeather..! H-He's..."**

**"A... fine medicine cat," **Littlecloud spoke calmly, a ghost of a smile whisking across his face, his voice cracking at the end. **"Y...You have taught your... son... well, Leafpool. I... want you to pass your know...ledge... onto Mistpaw.. too..." **An almost amused expression crossed his face as he glanced up at the ceiling again, muttering softly, **"Cin...Cinderpelt has... taught you well..." **He blinked, his amber eyes glistening, pain rippling through his tone of voice, his eyes glazing over. **"I... was in... love with her... you know..." **He spoke again, not bothering to glance at Leafpool, as if it would take too much energy.

Leafpool's jaw clenched slightly as she nodded meekly, recalling that her former mentor was actually living on in Cinderheart, Cinderpelt's niece and reincarnate. She opened her mouth to speak but then thought better of it as Littlecloud beat her. **"You.. understand forbidden love. Leafpool... we ShadowClan... cats are more open minded... we accept these relationships, although... not openly express them... Maybe one day... you too will find someone again, after Crow... feather..." **The former ThunderClanner cringed and blinked at him, trying to find words to express her anguish about him giving up his last dying breath.

**"Than.. k... you, Lea...fpool... for takin...taking... care of ... my Clan. You've... been like a daughter to me... these past few... weeks, and I ... thank you... for that. ShadowClan... will become... great again ... one day, just you see... Leafpool, you've... pushed my Clan... in the right direction... by helping us..." **His eyes began to get dimmer and Leafpool wordlessly pushed her muzzle into his pelt, whispering soft inaudible words, her nerves a jumbled mess. **"... I will... guide your paws, Leafpool... StarClan... will... light your path... until you join our ranks... You will... shine like a... newborn star, one day, and... our two Clans... will remember you fondly... But watch your... paws, Leafpool... because even... the brightest of... lights, can be... swallowed by... darkness when... dawn comes. Stay ablaze, Leafpool... and help ... guide my Clan.."**

Leafpool raked in a shaky breath, slowly withdrawing her head from the ShadowClan's medicine cat's still body and stared at him dumbfounded, unbelieving yet seeing it. **"L-Littlecloud?" **she meowed shakily, her amber eyes wide with overwhelming sadness. **"I- ... I can't be their medicine cat by myself with Mistpaw.. you... this is your rank and I'm..." **_An outcast. _Her thought process supplied before she put on the brakes, trying hard not to think about it, but the thought just wouldn't leave her alone. _An outcast.. _She leaned forward and wordlessly moved her paw over his eyes and closed them, his words rattling in her brain likes busy bees. She tried to hold back a sob and let out a soft cry of anguish, knowing that someone who was a father figure to her had to just... pass like that.

The pain that fluttered through her was quickly smothered, in order to not cause panic in the Clan. She was used to deaths but this still hit her hard.. The overwhelming emotion in her stopped the thought that perhaps Littlecloud knew something that he hadn't been telling her, like something underneath her words. Trying to gain her composure, the ill-hearted she-cat began to pad out of the den, finding her head hanging low and her tail dragging in the slush that covered the front near the den entrance.

She spared a glance over her shoulder and slowly began to shake her head, her voice coming out sounding weak, her eyes glistening as she whispered softly, **"May StarClan light your path, Littlecloud..." **With a soft sigh, trying to quench her emotions that threatened to crawl up her throat and spill out, she began to pad out of the den. It was almost ironic really, Littlecloud had joined StarClan... the same day that they were supposed to visit the Moonpool.

**"Leafpool?"**

Yes, they _had _stopped calling her Leafpaw by now, didn't they? It'd seem so.. Leafpool raised her amber-glinted gaze up and met the familiar mottled she-cat, her gaze half-lidded with grief as she slowly began to shake her head. Tawnypelt gasped and began to step away, horror and disbelief dawning in her eyes before she glanced at the medicine cat den entrance and back at Leafpool, working her jaw to sputter an apology or something of the sort but no words came out. Bramblestar's sister glanced at the den, her mouth forming an 'o' shape as she slowly began to shake her head.

**"P-Please... go get Mistpaw," **Leafpool muttered, her voice surprisingly calm despite the stutter at the start. Her eyes were pleading and desperate as Tawnypelt nodded and scampered off. Leafpool sighed, sitting down on her haunches and leaning her head against the wall of the medicine cat den, trying to calm her aching heart, her amber eyes closing as she thought about Littlecloud's last words.

_**"You will shine like a newborn star..." **Like a shooting star blazing in the sky. **"Our two Clans will remember you fondly.." **Your path will be unmet by any before you. **"Even the brightest of lights can be swallowed when dawn comes." **__But every star can be wiped out by the dawn that comes. _**"Pushed my Clan in the right direction..." **A_nd to stand strong.. **"****ShadowClan will become great again." "Even the brightest of lights can be swallowed by darkness.."** Y__ou must stand with the darkness. "**Stay ablaze, Leafpool and help guide my Clan.." **__But like every star, you can fall._

Leafpool woke up, gasping aloud and shivering and shaking, the words becoming a mantra and whispering in her ears even after the darkness had receded, leaving her panting and biting her bottom lip to stomp the fear that was threatening to rise up and spill out. The brown tabby glanced around, trying to calm herself, breathing heavily through her nose, her eyes wide and her gaze wavering as she tried to remember where she was. Then it hit her, she was still in ShadowClan. She was safe -the word rolled easily off her tongue when she spoke it out loud-, surrounded by warriors who accepted her for mentoring Mistpaw.

The former ThunderClanner glanced involuntarily around her, noticing the sky darkening gradually. It had been a few hours after sunhigh when Littlecloud had died -the word caused her to shiver- and now it was close to sundown. How much time had passed? She assumed meekly that she had fallen asleep, but it barely felt like she had closed her eyes before she opened them again. What was with Littlecloud's voice in her head? It was like he was whispering it in her ear, and that other voice... that fading echo... who was he?

She gulped nervously and looked around, spotting Blackstar and a few others standing beside a body, which she quickly realized was Littlecloud's. _They were taking him to be buried, _she thought numbly, padding over slowly, her paws seeming to move of their own accord, her fur feeling awkward, as it stuck in jagged angles. She meowed, her voice sounding eerily loud compared to the quiet whispers that filled the camp concerning the burial. **"He was... like a second mentor to me, like a father."**

She stood by Blackstar who glanced at her before slowly nodding, his quietness strikingly odd. She wasn't quite sure why it unnerved her, but it did. Had he already spoken the burial ceremony? she wondered briefly. She glanced up at him as he spoke, his rough voice sounding pleasant to her ears, the large tom not glancing at her but rather at the brown tabby's body before them. **"And an excellent friend. You should probably take Mistpaw to the..." **He cleared his throat, trying to come up with words to say.

**"...Moonpool. Tawnypelt had told me you had passed out against the den entrance and I told her to leave you alone, loosing a close friend is difficult, and passing out isn't as uncommon as it seems." **He offered bright amber glance in her direction, causing the fur along her spine to crawl, she blinked meekly at him, finding herself failing to make works come out. **"...You look..." **There was a tinge of amusement in his tone, **"...interesting." **He finished, offering a ghost of a smile, which Leafpool understood considering the situation of Littlecloud's death. She frowned before glancing at herself, noticing that her fur was in clumps, before she decided that she could leave it be and lick it out before it got matted. **"Mistpaw!"**

Leafpool glanced up at Blackstar's commanding tone and blinked over at the spiky-furred apprentice who glanced up dully at the medicine cat and leader, her eyes dark and her expression gloomy as she tilted her head slightly, eerily quiet compared to her usual snappish self. **"...You are to go to the Moonpool tonight with Leafpool. We shall discuss your mentorship tomorrow at dawn." **The single word caused the ThunderClanner-turned ShadowClanner to shiver, to which caused a glance from Blackstar. Leafpool wordlessly mouthed, 'I'm fine.'He glanced at them meaningfully and the medicine cat and apprentice slowly trudged towards the camp entrance.

They barely heard Blackstar call after them, **"May StarClan light your paths and guide your dreams." **Then the darkness enveloped them.


	9. AN

_Leafpool stared defiantly forward, the breeze pelting her from all corners. Mistpaw stood anchored next to her, providing little comfort in the storm that poured down rain on them. This didn't look good, not at all. The medicine cat of ShadowClan glared up at the sky, daring it to strike. And it did, a single blow, causing a tree to thunder down towards them as they dared to scramble out of the way..._

* * *

We can't post A/N's alone, right, without a snippet or something? So there. That's my snippet. No guarantees that it'll even be put into the story. So don't look into that.

Alright. So, if you haven't figured it out by now, this is on haitus. My interest in Warriors has waned quite a bit.

So there's no guarantees that this may be even continued in a while. Heh. But I'll try.

I really like that you all decided to read this, and are bearing through this.

But considering that many of you dislike Littlecloud's death, I decided that perhaps.. killing him off wasn't such a good idea?

And perhaps that setting it up after the final battle wasn't such a good idea.

Also that, looking back on this, it is terribly cliche.

But yeah, perhaps I'll rewrite it so that Littlecloud lives. Because Littlecloud is awesome, even if he _is _old. The story could develop either way.

I plan on updating sometime at the start of next month, so in a week or two.

Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Thanks for reading. :)


	10. Part IX

**A/N:** This is so short compared to what it looked like on my wordpad. :B But here you guys go. A month and a half-late update. But at least you got it! P.S. Littlecloud isn't dead now because most of you disapproved of it. The chapter will remain there, however. But I'm getting into Warriors again so yeah, an update will be more likely now. :) Thanks for your continued support!

**Disclaimer: **I am Erin Hunter. I am her. She is me. ...Or not.

* * *

Leafpool stood up, stumbling and glancing in surprise at the pleasant scenerary. The clearing was neat and tidy, dens settled here and there, the trees rising above them and rattling their leaves down upon her. Pleasant hues of browns and reds descended around her, twirling in the wind. She drank in the nice scent of the forest, closing her amber eyes in bliss. She sighed out in relief, the ThunderClan medicine cat digging her paws in the moist foilage beneath her paws.

"Greetings, Leafpool," came a pleasant meow behind her and the brown tabby she-cat glanced behind her, stiffening slightly as orange and brown mottled leaves descended from the trees, swirling and forming into a cat's body. The lithe she-cat smiled at her and opened her amber eyes, padding towards the newer medicine cat, her body rumpling and shifting and some leaves falling away until her body completely fused and formed a solid cat.

"...Spottedleaf?"

"Who might you have thought it was? Leafstar? Aha, no." The tortoiseshell meowed good-naturedly, blinking and smiling at the younger she-cat. She glanced down at her white paws, raising one and inspecting the pad, or at least feigning to as her bright starlit gaze never left the soft-muzzled brown-coated she-cat before her.  
"What are you doing here?"

"You are in StarClan's boundaries, my dear." The slender medicine cat blinked in surprise at the StarClanner before coughing a bit, feeling like her question was quite awkward. The white-chested she-cat glanced up at Spottedleaf quite curiously, inhaling her pleasant scent.  
"Then what am I doing here?"

"That is an excellent question." Spottedleaf sighed, her breath coming out in a pleasant hue of white. Was it that cold? Or perhaps was it just that way with dead cats? "I suppose the question is.. what are you doing here?"

"..I'm here because I'm dreaming.." Leafpool attempted, earning a little laughter from the tortoiseshell's mouth. Leafpool examined her face, noticing the darker ring of fur around her one eye and how intelligent her eyes were. "Then why am I here?"

"No, I didn't mean in StarClan's boundaries. Why are you in ShadowClan? What do you hope to gain? There is no life for you here. Do you not think you are wasting everybody's time?" The former ThunderClan medicine cat was glancing at her worriedly, curling her thin tabby tail around her small paws.

"I - am I? I ... just don't know anymore. I thought this was where my heart led me, to help aid ShadowClan. Was I wrong?"

"Leafpool, what is your heart telling you? Do you really wish to be here? Do you want to return to ThunderClan?" Spottedleaf was gazing intently into the other amber-eyed she-cat, wrinkling her small pink nose is slight confusion.  
" ... How can I follow my heart when my head is telling me something different?"

"Sometimes, you have to follow just one and not the other." Spottedleaf moved forward, touching her pink nose to the white-pawed medicine cat in a comforting manner. "Which instinct is stronger, Leafpool? Will you follow your head or your heart? You have to make a choice, Leafpool."

_"-ool."_

Leafpool glanced in confusion for a moment, drinking in the pleasant scent of the former ThunderClan camp. Her heartbeat was pounding loudly in her ears and she tore the ground beneath her paws. She glanced worriedly at the former ThunderClanner.

_"-afpool!"_

Then she noticed, quite suddenly, that it wasn't ThunderClan scent that she was smelling. No. The pleasant scent seemed to be of ShadowClan. Spottedleaf stepped back, disippating into leaves and breezing past Leafpool, leaving her dreadfully confused. The newly appointed ShadowClan medicine cat opened her eyes to notice a spiky-furred apprentice staring down at her worriedly.

"Leafpool.. I didn't know what these were but I thought that they musn't be good." Leafpool yawned and glanced up in her den in the apprentices' den, still having not been removed from apprentice duty.

"What is it, Mistpaw?" She meowed calmly, blinking away the tiredness from her eyes. The pale blue eyed apprentice sighed in aggitation and brushed forward a mouse, red juice -which was most definitely not blood, she noted- pourning from it's mouth. Along it's stomach was a scratch, opened recently.

"Where did you find this?" She asked, her voice wavering slightly, staring in alarm at the mouse and it's contents.

"Beside Littlecloud. It had your scent on it, so I thought I better ask you. Why, what's going on?"

"...Somebody is trying to poison Littlecloud with a mouse full of deathberries."


End file.
